Across The Universe
by fairywine
Summary: :Fate/Stay Night: They slip away, across the universe. An Archer x Rin story, Heaven's Feel!verse
1. I've Just Seen A Face

Title: I've Just Seen A Face  
Rating: MA. That means (some non-graphic) sex, boys and girls!  
Characters: Archer x Rin  
Word Count: 954  
Warning/s: Nothing for the moment, but Heaven's Feel spoilers are coming in later chapters.  
Summary: His face is never clear.  
Dedication: To yukari rin. Think of this as a pre-birthday(or as I call it, "Christmas In October") present, warming you up for the actual gift. blows kiss  
A/N: Done for my Archer x Rin 30 lemons challenge, using prompt 1: "Anonymity, or, "Taken by the Faceless Stranger". I'm planning on using all 30 themes as part of an interconnected story based on an alternate take on the Heaven's Feel(Sakura's) route of the game Fate/Stay Night. Chronologically, this chapter takes place some years after the end of the game. I promise the inevitable questions (i.e., how Archer is there at all) will be answered in upcoming chapters. I've been on an _Across The Universe_ kick lately, so the overall story is being called a slight variation on that, and each chapter will be titled using lyrics from the movie songs. I'm a huge dork, I know, and really sorry if this causes any undue confusion.

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

* * *

The dreams of mages have meaning.

Meaning regarding the past, the present.

The future.

Rin knows this well, but she always remembers it most keenly when she wakes from _that_ dream in particular.

It's one she's had several times over the years since she had left childhood forever, her body blossoming steadily into womanhood. The kind of dream that left her hot and confused and aching for something she didn't really understand. Not at that point, anyway.

The first time she had had the dream, it had been so indistinct, like trying to see through a mist, getting slowly clearer as the years passed. Yet so very unmistakable at the same time, the details never changing but for clarity. There had been _her_-older, taller, fuller in chest and hips-and _him_.

Him.

_Skin golden by the flickering candlelight, broad shoulders shimmering with sweat, toned muscles rippling underneath his skin as he moved oh-so-smoothly inside the Rin-That-Would-Be. She gasped again and again, slim hands twisting in silk sheets, raking her nails on his back when this was no longer enough. The diamond ring on her left hand shone against his dusky skin when she did this, capturing what little light was to be had in the dimness and reflecting it into something greater but unreal. _

Him.

_Lightly nipping the base of her throat, the fingers of one large hand splayed against the curve of her breast, the other gripping her hip with a firmness that is the only sign of his slipping control. Rin wrapped long legs ever more tightly around his waist, wanting still more of him, to have her empty spaces filled by him, however briefly. His face is never clear, but gleam from his smirk-at her need, at her wantonness, at what exactly, Rin isn't sure-is impossible to miss. As is the greater speed and power he now puts into each movement of his hips._

Him.

_Drawing out her pleasure before his own with the same steady passion Michelangelo drew angels out of marble. Stoking the fire running through her body with every thrust, every kiss, every touch, until she can no longer help herself, muffling her cry of release as she pressed her mouth against his collarbone. He followed her into climax almost immediately afterwards, and brushed sweat from her face with hands that bear no rings, unlike her own._

Her lover. An enigma whose body she knows as well as her own, but whose face she's never caught more than a few hints of; the line of a strong jaw, dark eyes the color of forge-smoke. If she is married (a ring of promise bound her finger but his were free), it is not to him.

It's an idea that doesn't particularly surprise her. What was it her father had said, so long ago? That looks could be bought, but power had to be married. That mages think of the future before practically anything else. Some mages end up in reasonably happy marriages, based on love and respect, but many more do not. It's a fate Rin resigned herself to the moment she gave up her sister-following a mage's path first and foremost, even before her own happiness.

There is only one thing that confuses her. The man, whomever he is, knows her-knows her body-far too well to be a mere fling. There is a certain care in his actions, when he touches her that Rin doesn't think would come from someone interested in simple gratification.

A mystery to be sure, but one Rin never lets herself dwell on long beyond the dream's end. It isn't until many years later, when the future dream becomes present reality and she lies in her lover's arms, that she recalls it.

"I dreamt of this," Rin tells him as she breathes in the scent of his skin. "Years ago, long before we met."

"Oh?" Archer replies, and Rin doesn't need to see his face to tell he is amused, in his own fashion. Lazily, but with intent only Rin would have noticed, he toys with the engagement ring on her finger-one he made himself.

"Yes." Rin lets herself fall against the pillows, to better observe the handsome face she tried so hard to glimpse as a teenager. "I thought you were some illicit lover I had taken and was having a torrid affair with behind my husband's back."

She sent him her best steely-eyed glare at his valiant efforts to contain his laughter, smacking one toned bicep when this failed.

"I was wearing a ring and you weren't." Rin tells him hotly. "What was I supposed to think?"

Archer pulls himself into his usual semblance of control, though his smirk remains.

"Well, I must admit you ended up being right on most counts," Archer remarks, smirk gaining a wicked edge that has Rin tensing in anticipation despite herself. He pulls her closer, giving her a searing kiss that banishes-for the moment-her own irritation at him into non-existence. "After all, I'm not your husband yet."

"Keep up that attitude and I'll never marry you." Rin retorts with her few remaining shreds of resistance, although the breathy moan she lets out as Archer nips her throat in just the right place completely undermines her words.

Leaning over her, Archer grins.

"If it comes to that, I'll just have to settle for being your illicit lover."

And really, Rin _knows_ she shouldn't let him get away with it, that she should at least reprimand him. But what she knows and what she wants can be two very different things, and as Archer hungrily slants his mouth against her own, Rin thinks she wouldn't trade being here with him for anything.


	2. Happiness Is A Warm Gun

Title: Happiness Is A Warm Gun  
Rating: MA. That means sex, boys and girls! Or at least it would if there WAS sex in this chapter, and not just Archer thinking really, really hard about it.  
Characters: Archer x Rin  
Word Count: 1648  
Warning/s: Some minor Heaven's Feel spoilers.  
Summary: Of practically its own volition, Archer's gaze whipped back to the open bathroom window.  
Dedication: To anonymous proxy, because it's been a while since I've dedicated something to you. Sorry it had to be this. -cowers apologetically-  
A/N: Done for my Archer x Rin 30(underscore)lemons challenge, using prompt 21. Alone Time, or, "When I Think About You, I Touch Myself". I'm truly, truly sorry about the title of this chapter, but frankly it's going to take a stronger willed person than me to NOT go for the Across The Universe song with the most suggestive title when doing a theme based on, um...well, choose your own euphemism. Although I ended up sticking to the theme without having to resort to Archer..relieving his frustration. I'd thank God for this, but I have a feeling this was more the work of Satan.

And yes, I realize this is the second 30(underscore)lemons claim I've done, and Archer and Rin still have yet to actually have sex in any meaningful (i.e., lengthy and descriptive) way. Will fix that with chapter 3!

Note: Re-edited, since I wasn't happy with my original finished product. Hopefully, the additions will help with the confusion of people who aren't all that familiar with the Heaven's Feel route.

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

Cross-posted to fsn(underscore)fiction. 30(underscore)lemons and my personal lj.

* * *

The sun had long since set on the sixth day of the Grail War when Archer realized for the first time that something was wrong, in the way only an eirei could. It was amazing what humans, even sensitive ones like Rin, could blind themselves to when they wished. But Servants are the pure essence of the soul, no more flesh and blood than oceans or mountains despite the look and feel of their appearances. Unburdened by bodies, there are things that are impossible for them to miss.

The land of Fuyuki itself was tainted, an unnatural darkness spreading like bloodstains on white silk. It had unsettled him enough that he had held off-at least for the moment-on his vendetta against Emiya Shirou. Much as he wished to kill the younger version of himself from this world, to spare him the pain of his ideals, something told him this was more important.

It just wasn't until he encountered Matou Zouken for the first time-as an eirei, anyway-that Archer was able to attach a face to that …_decaying_…feeling that was growing ever stronger as the Holy Grail War passed on.

Archer hadn't known the old Matou patriarch well in life. In fact, he had only ever caught an occasional glance of the wizened-looking man, looming like some ancient and vicious bird of prey, through the windows of the Matou family mansion when he had walked Sakura home.

Zouken had died fairly soon after the end of the Grail War Archer had participated in as a Master. He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now…

Now he could have no more ignored the sickening feeling radiating from the old man's bent form than he could have the midday sun. It was obvious that whatever humanity Zouken possessed had been lost long ago-exactly how long being another question well worth knowing the answer to.

Of course, certain elements of this meeting with the Matou patriarch meant that these anomalies had become evident to Rin as well, safely behind him. Mind you, the silent form of Caster next to Zouken would have made this obvious to those far less observant than Rin. For one thing, the corpses of Servants killed just yesterday by Saber usually didn't become animated through their own means.

"That's…that's not Caster." Rin said over his shoulder, and the quiet horror in her voice was unmistakable.

"No." Archer replied curtly, eyes not leaving the pair before them. "She's no more than a corpse-puppet."

He didn't need to look at Rin to tell her shoulders were growing tenser, her fingers clutching her gemstones a little more tightly. Swiftly, he slid into a fighting stance, weapons ready at a moment's notice. However, a split second before he could begin the chant to release Unlimited Blade Works-

The pavement cracked slightly underneath Saber's feet as she landed beside him, Shirou following slightly further behind. Currents of gleaming wind made a shimmering, ethereal display out of her sword, pointed directly at Caster and Zouken. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Saber reach the same conclusion he had a moment earlier, though unlike him, she actually had to point it out to her Master.

It only took a second's glance between the two Servants to reach a temporary détente. Simultaneously the two eirei leapt towards Caster. In such a reduced state against two far superior foes, the corpse-puppet didn't stand a chance. It may have been a trick of the weak moonlight, but Archer thought he glimpsed a brief smile across her face before Saber sliced her head off with one clean stroke.

Leaving Caster to Saber, Archer sprang for Zouken, who was predictably attempting to flee, instantly slicing through his chest with Kansho. For one second, Archer relaxed…until the old man deconstructed into hundreds of gray worms, moving far faster than Archer would have given them credit for. Even so, it wouldn't have taken much effort to destroy the individual worms.

But then the Shadow arrived, and Archer's blood ran cold. Masters and Servants alike stood immobile, well aware of the threat posed by the enigmatic menace that had already devoured Assassin, Lancer, and Caster.

Like a pool of spilled oil with red veins, the Shadow expanded steadily until it was brushing the foot of Shirou, who happened to be closest to it. Then, the strangest thing happened. The Shadow seemed to hesitate, if such a word could even be applied to it, before shrinking and vanishing out of sight. Shirou wobbled before slumping to the ground, enough of his mana having been drained in the brief encounter to make him pass out.

Kneeling down next to Shirou, Rin carefully checked his pulse. Evidently judging him to be simply tired and in no real danger, she shook the other Master awake before Saber's sword convinced her in no uncertain terms to move back.

"I am not ungrateful for your aid." The Saber-class replied, more at Archer's piercing glare than Rin's annoyed expression. "But you are Archer's Master, and my enemy."

Weakly, Shirou coughed before standing up, brushing off Saber's offer of support.

"Don't…Saber…" Shirou insisted as firmly as he could. "Tohsaka and Archer helped us, after all."

"It's good of you to remember that." Rin retorted, still obviously irked. "Because I'm going to have to use the bath at your place, since it's closer." She continued, gesturing to the blood splatter that covered her shirt, skirt, and face-a direct consequence of being so close to Caster as she had been decapitated. "I can't walk back home like this."

Unsurprisingly, Shirou gave in without a fight.

"Sure, Tohsaka. If you feel safe enough, you're welcome to."

Rin brushed back a loose wave of hair, some of her natural poise returning.

"Safety isn't a concern of mine. Archer will be standing guard, of course. I'll take my bath, go home, and then we can return to the business of trying to kill each other as nicely as possible."

_And don't think I can't tell you're glaring at me, Archer._ Rin's voice echoed in his head.

_Damn._

* * *

It takes a very specific type of mindset to stand guard for long stretches of time, especially when where you are guarding is fairly unlikely to be attacked.

This is because guard duty is very, very dull.

Unfortunately for Archer, being imaginative as well as extremely intelligent meant he was currently bored out of his mind. Not for the first time, the eirei cursed the still healing slash on his chest that had so severely restrained his ability to be useful.

Once more, he scanned the surrounding area from his post atop the Emiya storehouse. Not that he really expected things to have really changed much since his last sweep, but it didn't hurt to check.

Trees.

Empty street.

Emiya cooking dinner, as Sakura had taken with another sudden weak spell.

Rin relaxing in the bath.

More tre-

Of practically its own volition, Archer's gaze whipped back to the open bathroom window. What greeted him would have made a believer out of an atheist, simply because there was no way a higher being _wasn't_ at least partly responsible for Rin's creamy skin and svelte figure, for the sable colored hair clinging damply to petite yet perfectly shaped breasts.

To say nothing of the nicest legs he had ever seen on a woman. He was so mesmerized by the sight of them through the bathwater it was a full seven minutes until he became aware of the fact he was staring at his Master like a desperate teenager.

And that the fit of his pants had gotten somewhat...tighter.

Then Rin stood up to reach for a washcloth and Archer's brain completely shut down, unable to comprehend anything but those lovely, supple curves, made all the more enticing by the moisture of the water she had just been immersed in. With lightening clarity, Archer understood exactly how Actaeon the hunter had felt upon stumbling upon Artemis bathing. If it had been anywhere near as magnificent as the sight of Rin was now, the man probably hadn't minded being killed by his own dogs immediately afterwards.

The part of his brain that valued life, or more specifically life without dismemberment tried reminding Archer to little effect that he wasn't courting death so much as cooking a romantic dinner for it, proposing marriage, and settling down with a couple of children and a dog. The logical part pointed out more successfully all the reasons taking his desire any further would be a Bad Idea: he was technically dead, had a decade on her, it was only a matter of time before he vanished and forgot this all ever happened...

And there was still the matter of Emiya Shirou.

The weight of Archer's personal mission to kill his younger self was probably the only thing that could have taken his mind off Rin. The only reason he hadn't taken his chance was the sheer...strangeness...of the situation with Sakura, of the Shadow, of Matou Zoken and his disgusting use of Caster's corpse as a puppet. His instincts were screaming at him that something was wrong, terribly wrong, and it had to do with her.

He just couldn't figure out _what_, exactly. The Grail War he was currently a Servant in was drastically different from the one in which he had been a Master, so even his memories were of no use.

Lustful spell broken, his eyes drifted once more to the window. Rin was in a robe, gently toweling off her hair. Feeling oddly wistful, he watched her until she left the room. Not for the raging desire her body never failed to evoke from him, or the worryingly strong feelings simply being with her gave him, but because of the sheer peacefulness of the scene, even for a few moments.

A peace Archer knew wasn't going to last.


	3. See The Love There That's Sleeping

**Title:** See The Love There That's Sleeping  
**Rating: **MA. That means angsty not-worksafe Archer/Rin love...at least for the unedited version which can be found at fsn(underscore)fiction on Livejournal. You lucky readers at the Pit get the sanitized-so-Yuurei's-story-doesn't-get-reported-version.  
**Characters: **Archer x Rin  
**Word Count: **6,200  
**Warning/s: **Heaven's Feel spoilers, and a lot of them too. I don't think anyone should feel too lost, though.  
**Summary: **The day had started out so normally. Who would have thought tonight everything would change?  
**Dedication: **For Riana1, who leaves the loveliest reviews and sends me Discworld, yet I have tragically not written a thing for before. No more!  
**A/N:** Done for the 30(underscore)lemons challenge number 20. First Timers, or, "Yes! I'm Finally Getting Some!", also known by it's secret title "First Timers, or "This challenge was designed specifically to turn Yuurei's brain into mush, because it forces her to write angsty sex and she SUCKS at it." More (long-ass) notes to follow after the fic.

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

Cross-posted to fsn(underscore)fiction , 30(underscore)lemons and my personal lj.

* * *

Rin easily darted through the crowds of students in the hallway, Archer following close behind in ethereal form. Archer had sensed Saber's defeat by the Shadow the previous night, underscoring the great need to boost Shirou's mage skills-his _only_ mage skill-as quickly as possible. It was becoming more and more obvious that dealing with the Shadow was going to end up taking greater priority than the War itself.

Now, to actually find Shirou-

"Tohsaka!"

Rin turned to see Shirou standing behind her, slightly winded from catching up. One eyebrow gently lifted as she cast the former Master an expectant glance. True, she had intended to seek him out anyway, but it was her creed to not waste valuable opportunities for future favors.

"Yes, Emiya-kun?" Rin asked, tone as sweet as poisoned chocolate. "Is there something you need?"

To her mild surprise, Shirou shot her quite a glare. Maybe he was growing a spine after all.

"I need your help." Shirou replied, expression growing somber. "Last night, Saber-"

Rin held up a hand for silence.

"I know, Emiya-kun. Saber was devoured like Assassin, Lancer, and Caster." Rin tilted her head as she studied Shirou more intently, then let out a slow breath. "Fine. Come home with me, and I'll show you something Emiya-kun can do, that I can't."

Shirou looked at her in confusion as they walked out of the school together, heading in the direction of Rin's home.

"Tohsaka won't just show me her style of mage-craft?"

"That'd be impossible in such a short time, and it isn't where your talents lie anyway. The Tohsaka-style of magecraft is based off of the teachings of the True Magic User Kishua Zelretch Schweinorg, using jewels to store a lifetime's worth of mana." Her gaze slid to Shirou, who wasn't even bothering to hide his lost expression. "The point is that my mage-craft is most effective if you've had a long time to charge the gems." Rin unlocked the front door, ushering Shirou inside and into a far-off room with its floor covering in small lamps.

"This, however, you can do." Rin continued as she tossed Shirou a lamp. A small smirk slid across her face.

"Now let's train."

* * *

The day had started out so normally. Who would have thought tonight everything would change?

That's what Rin would have thought anyway, had not all her attention been focused on the knife Shinji had pointed at Sakura's throat, his other hand clenching the book he used to control Rider.

"Kill Archer!" Shinji howled once more, voice hoarse from repeating the order so many times. Once more, Rider refused, body shuddering in pain at defying the spellbook's power.

Mind racing, Rin desperately tried to think of something, anything, to get Shinji away from Sakura, but there was simply no getting away from the fact he could kill the smaller girl long before Rin could get her away.

"STOP!!!"

To Rin's shock, Sakura managed to get away from Shinji on her own. At the sound of her voice, the spellbook he was holding burst into flames. Even more noticeable was the very obvious rise in Rider's strength once the ashes of the book fell to the floor. Swiftly, the violet-haired eirei took her place by Sakura's side.

"Rider, who told you to do that?" Shinji bleated at seeing his one slim chance of protection leave his side.

Contemptuous even through her blindfold, Rider looked down at Shinji.

"It is a Servant's duty to protect her Master above all else."

Shirou's shock was impossible to ignore as he looked between Rin and Sakura, the question in his eyes clearly displayed.

"Don't look so surprised, Emiya-kun. A member of the Matou family couldn't be a Master, the bloodline has been all but void of magus ability for some time now." _I was just hoping there was any explanation but this one._

"But, Tohsaka, then how could Sakura-"

"How dare you!" Shinji snarled at Sakura, moving straight towards her only to be blocked by Rider. Rin could tell that Shinji had finally realized, even as stupid as he was, that all hope of controlling Rider was gone. Even if Sakura made him another book, it wouldn't have any command seals left to make it work.

Changing tactics, Shinji pointed towards Rin and Shirou. "Beat those bastards then, Sakura!"

"No." Sakura replied, her soft voice carrying a dangerous undercurrent that made it very clear asking her to do such a thing again would be...unwise.

Shinji backed away, poorly hiding his nervousness.

"Just die then, if you insist on being so worthless!" Shinji shrieked, choking in surprise as Sakura suddenly collapsed on the floor. Quickly turning tail, he ran out of sight.

"Sakura!" Shirou gasped, immediately racing to her side before Archer stopped him in his tracks.

"Don't go any closer." Archer ordered, ignoring Shirou's glare as if it wasn't even there. Already, the air was darkening, and the mana-draining kekkai over the school glowing with activation. "Staying here would mean our deaths."

Muscles tensing in readiness, Archer faced Rider, already crouching in her battle pose.

"Release the kekkai, Rider."

Rider didn't move an inch.

"I won't do that, Archer. Sakura needs their mana."

Archer's eyes narrowed. "I commend your loyalty, if nothing else."

Rider nodded slightly, and as if that was some signal, both eirei moved to strike with the force of a hurricane.

To his irritation, Rider's considerable power-boost meant Archer was extremely hard-pressed to defend himself from her attacks. Her strength and agility, now superior to his own, meant the time needed to trace a Noble Phantasm capable of matching Rider, much less release his reality marble, was denied to him. Additionally, Kansho and Bakuya were best used to close combat-something Rider's chain nails eliminated the possibility of occurring.

Mentally swearing, Archer dodged yet another strike. The direction of the chains was difficult to predict, and he had already a few deep gashes on his right arm and both legs testifying to this. Reinforcing his legs, Archer managed to put on enough speed to stab Rider in the shoulder, only to have her leg slam **hard** into his ribs, the power of the strike throwing him several feet down the hall.

_Dammit. That's at least three cracked ribs now, in addition to the stab wounds. Pretty soon I'm not going to able to keep up with her..._

Rider's calm voice disturbed his train of thought.

"You've done well enough, Servant Archer, but you won't have enough power to use a Noble Phantasm at this point...if you even have one."

Suddenly, Sakura placed her hand on Rider's uninjured shoulder.

"Stop, Rider! Don't fight anymore!" The violet-eyed girl pleaded.

Carefully, Rider moved Sakura's hand away, before casting an almost-apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry Sakura, but I can't."

With lightening speed, Rider pulled off her blindfold, and the air itself became heavy as lead, as she stared at them with jewel-colored eyes. In an instant, Rider's identity became evident.

_Cybele, the Mystic Eyes of the Jewel colors, gifted with the power of petrifaction... _

_**Medusa.**_

Once more, Rider whipped both chain nails in his direction. It was only a split second after they brushed _past_ Archer that he realized it hadn't been him the Gorgon had been aiming for at all. Desperately, he turned to see Shirou with a chain nail through his shoulder that had clearly been meant for Rin.

The sound of Sakura's scream and the kekkai lifting broke the spell of Archer's incredible relief that Rin was uninjured, even if it had been Emiya and not himself who protected her.

Swaying from the effects of Cybele and blood loss, Emiya Shirou slumped onto the floor.

* * *

Rin looked up at the great stained glass window of the Kotomine Church, hands tightly clenched in her lap, because it was infinitely preferable to meeting Shirou's disbelieving gaze. It was hard, letting him know the truth behind such an intensely private matter, but there was no avoiding his questions now, even as Kotomine was taking care of Sakura. With a steadiness she wasn't truly feeling, Rin continued to speak.

"So, because of the taboo of raising more than one magus per family, my younger sister Sakura was taken in by the Matou family eleven years ago." Rin swallowed dryly before continuing. "But she isn't my sister anymore, so if I had to kill her, I certainly would."

Shirou looked at her, and Rin hated herself for the horror she saw in his eyes. Before he could say anything, Kotomine entered the Church.

"Well, Kirei?" Rin asked, not in the mood for subtlety or games.

Kotomine sighed at her impatience before beginning to speak.

"Sakura's body is being eaten from within by Matou Zouken's worm familiars. They feed on her mana, and are replacing her magic circuits." The priest sat down on a pew, clearly worn out. "If she doesn't fight, she will be killed. If she fights, the mana-depletion will kill her in the end."

Rin lowered her eyes in thought.

"Defeating Zouken could save her. But you'd have to defeat Sakura first, since she's under his orders."

Kotomine cast a carefully blank look her way before replying.

"I can't watch her die...for the time being, at least."

Rin sharply breathed in as she got up to leave. "Then you are very different from me, Kirei. I will kill her if I have to." She added, as she reached the great double doors of the Church, slamming them shut behind her. Leaning against the solid wood, Rin looked up at the starless night sky.

_And then I'll kill myself._

* * *

Archer waited outside, but not for Rin.

His patience paid off, as Emiya Shirou exited the Church soon after Rin, who had moved elsewhere on the grounds. The boy's turmoil was written clearly across his face-he was still far from being any good at hiding his feelings. Despite the gravity of the situation, Archer couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic. He couldn't remember the last time he had expressed himself so unguardedly.

But the vast differences between the Emiya Shirou Archer had been, and the Emiya Shirou standing before him now, were no longer possible to deny. The Holy Grail War had shaped them both, so that two such very different Grail Wars would yield such varied results shouldn't have come as a surprise.

Eirei and mage looked at each other in wary silence. Archer took it upon himself to speak, because there was to be no holding back any longer.

"It's not who you will save, but, who will you kill."

Shirou didn't reply, but his silence told Archer enough. Letting go of his goal would be hard, but it had been achieved in some form, if not through the means he originally envisioned.

"Very well. My objective has changed. Now is not the time for a personal vendetta."

The question in Shirou's eyes was easy enough to read, but answering it was something Archer wanted to avoid. He was letting go, and as far as he was concerned, that was all that mattered. Before Emiya could get a word out, Archer made himself immaterial, vanishing from conventional sight.

* * *

Heart sinking in despair, Rin stared at the door Sakura's sleeping form lay behind. Once more, Kotomine's words ran through her mind.

_"I've used up all my magecraft seals. In the end, her state is beyond my ability to change."_

And that hadn't been all. Kotomine, for all his nastier traits, was an incredible healer. During his examination, he had pointed out every last bruise, every last scar...and every way they had been inflicted. Rin would have been sick if she had had anything in her stomach.

As it was, horrifying mental images were running behind her eyes, underscored by shame and disgust, with herself, with the parents who had given Sakura up, with those who had hurt her sister so very badly for so long. Sakura had suffered the worst way a woman could at someone else's hands, many, many times. How could she have missed the signs? How could she have ignored the fact Sakura's hair and eye color hadn't been the same for an entire decade?

There wasn't any time to revile herself. Stiffly, Rin lifted her right hand, preparing the most instantly lethal Gandr blast she was capable of generating.

It was a testament to her level of distress that she hadn't noticed Shirou's presence until he grasped her wrist with vice-like strength.

"What, didn't you make up your mind when you came back here?" Rin lashed out bitterly.

"No, Tohsaka," Shirou returned, tone even and calm. "If you want to kill Sakura, I'll stop you." The gentleness with which he pushed down her still glowing arm was in complete contrast to the steel in his voice. "I won't let any sacrifice happen, even to save many others. Since it's come to this, we're enemies now."

The sound of glass breaking and footsteps pounding away drew the attention of both mages. Rin yanked open the door to find the bed empty and the window shattered enough for a person to get through.

"She must have heard you talking about killing her." Kotomine coolly interjected, studying the window with mild interest. Rin didn't bother sparing him a glare as she leaped out the window in an attempt to catch up with Sakura. She wasn't so far away that she couldn't hear Kirei's words to Shirou, though.

_"Whatever you do, you won't be able to save Sakura. The only time she could have been saved was eleven years ago. There's no meaning in saving her anymore."_

Tears didn't blur Rin's eyes as she carefully followed the trail of broken glass. Her despair was too great for tears.

* * *

An hour later, Rin gave up on her search, and stood waiting outside the gates of the Emiya home. As she expected, Shirou and Sakura returned together, hand in hand. The moment he caught sight of her, Shirou tensed up and moved protectively in front of Sakura.

"If you want to touch Sakura, you'll have to silence me first."

"I will kill Sakura, and kill you as well if you try to stop me. Even if you aren't a Master anymore."

Taking a deep breath, Sakura moved to Shirou's side.

"If...if you do so, then I will fight you as Rider's Master."

Rin looked at her sister intently, gauging the sincerity of her words.

"If you have that will, then there might still be a way, by getting the Grail. Zouken might just leave you alone if you do."

With that, Rin brushed past the couple, and headed on home.

* * *

It was with no small amount of concern that Archer was looking at Rin, sitting before her dresser with no more expression or movement then a doll. Her tea lay cold and untouched in front of her.

Archer would be the first to admit that consolation (or any sort of sensitive social interaction, truth be told) wasn't an area in which he was particularly talented. But Rin was someone he cared for, in life and as he was now, and it was killing him to see the blank, broken look in her eyes. He had a vague memory of her telling him nothing was harsher, more filled with sacrifice than the life of a magus, but he had never understood just how much until he saw Rin's agony of being forced to choose her responsibilities as the Tohsaka successor over the sister she loved. He just couldn't think of anything to say that could alleviate that sort of pain, even by a little.

To his far left, the wall clock struck ten, its deep tones jolting him out of his thoughts. Rin didn't move, eyes set downward but clearly looking at something-or someone-much further away. As the chimes slowly faded away, Archer got to his feet and stood before Rin.

"Rin."

No reaction.

"Rin."

Again, no reaction. Patience running thin, Archer put his hands on her shoulders.

**"Rin."**

She jumped as much as his firm grip allowed her to. Blinking slowly, as if she had just woken from a very deep sleep, Rin looked around the room, gaze finally settling on the clock.

"Oh." Rin slowly stood up. "It's late. I should get some rest."

"Yes, you should." Archer replied. "I'll watch over you."

Despite her words, Rin remained where she was, immobile. Sighing under his breath, Archer moved closer to her, placing his hand on her shoulder once more.

"Rin, you really do need to get some sleep. It's been a very long day."

She didn't respond, but as she lifted her eyes to meet his, he realized no words could express the sadness and pain and guilt that swam within their blue depths. That one look told him she was dangerously close to a breaking point no one could ever mend, and before he knew it his lips were touching her own.

It was a good twenty seconds before his mind managed to get over its shock and kick itself into gear, reminding him that not only was kissing Rin definitely under the heading of _Monumentally Stupid Things He Shouldn't Do, Ever_, but that he was taking advantage of an emotionally distraught girl on top of that. He pulled away from her as quickly as possible, hating himself all the more when he took in her trembling frame.

"Rin, I'm sor-"

As quickly as he had pulled away from her, Rin crushed her lips desperately against his own, wrapping her arms around neck to pull him closer still. In spite of himself, Archer's hands moved down, tracing the elegant curve of Rin's spine before firmly gripping her hips. At least he tried to protest, though when he opened his mouth her tongue slid in to tangle with his own, and he was lost.

* * *

Slightly winded by the loss of the energy he had just expended towards pleasing Rin, Archer leaned on his arm and took in the sight of Rin sleeping. Between her physical and emotional exhaustion, he was honestly surprised she had lasted so long. But Rin was a strong girl. She had to be, considering her only other choice would be to break and never get up again. Carefully, Archer brushed sweat-dampened hair away from her back before covering her with the comforter. He'd stay by her side until the dawn rose. He had made a promise, after all. The fact that it had been to Rin only made him more determined to keep it.

* * *

Several hours later, Master and Servant were on the great grounds of the Einzbern forest, united in their purpose of making an alliance with Illyasviel and absolutely not bringing up last night under any circumstances. At least Archer's current insubstantial state made achieving that last goal a little easier. 

Holding back an irritated groan, Rin lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight filtering through the leaves. Abruptly, she stiffened as she sensed the presence of someone with magic circuits approaching. Preparing a few gemstones for protection, Rin moved a few feet only to have a bokken pointed right at her face.

Rin cast her best unimpressed look Shirou's way.

"Here for a picnic or something, Emiya-kun?"

He ignored her jibe, not lowering the bokken.

"You aren't here to fight Illya, are you? I'll stop you right here if you are!"

Rin rolled her eyes at him as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, you still have that mindset of not letting people fight, don't you?" She frowned as she looked over Shirou's shoulder, catching flashes of lavender amidst the green of the trees. She opened her mouth to chastise him for bringing Rider along and leaving Sakura defenseless, when the forest ground shook underneath them.

"What was that?" Shirou yelped, scrambling for his dropped bokken.

Rin scanned the surrounding area, trying to pinpoint the source of the vibration.

"Probably Berserker-he's the only one heavy enough to cause it." She replied as Shirou turned on his heel and headed east, in the direction of Einzbern Manor, leaving the others following close behind. What Rin saw in the clearing nearly made her heart stop in shock.

Zouken and True Assassin.

Illyasviel and Berserker.

And a black Saber, a dark mirror of Shirou's former Servant, eyes hidden by a onyx-colored visor with red veins.

The Matou patriarch had vanished almost immediately after their arrival, but Black Saber and Berserker were already battling fiercely-and it was painfully obvious who had the advantage. Even Saber's blade, gone black and red, seemed to emit menace. Every hit from the shadowy Servant pushed Berserker back, and what few strikes he managed to get in Black Saber shrugged off.

It was all Rin could do to avoid being hit herself. Ilya was clinging to Shirou and crying-apparently, she had already realized Berserker's defeat was inevitable. Worse yet, the air was permeated with the same heavy feeling it had gotten when the Shadow showed up last. It was only a matter of moments before it came again to wreak havoc.

To Rin's disbelief, Ilya broke away from Shirou, heading to where the two Servants were battling it out in an suicidal effort to end the fight. Shirou grabbed the petite Master only to be knocked down by the sheer force of the blow that finished off Berserker.

Grim and silent as a specter of death, Black Saber stood before Shirou's prone form, tainted sword pointed at his throat. Her visor split in two from Berserker's last strike, revealing frosty gold eyes. Rin held her breath, not seeing any way she could possibly help.

Like a bolt of divine lightening, Archer's Traced Caladbolg took Black Saber by surprise, knocking her far back enough that Shirou was able to scramble away from her, Illya held tightly in his arms.

"What are you waiting for, fool?" Archer growled at him. "Get Ilya away from this place."

Rin saw Shirou give Black Saber one last sad look. Just as he was leaving, the Shadow arrived, fear and terror edged with black and red. After a moment's hesitation Shirou ran for it, Illya held tightly in his arms, but Rin's relief evaporated the moment she saw True Assassin in pursuit of the duo. Archer didn't waste a moment, Tracing Durendal before dashing forward to hold off the skeletal Servant.

Suddenly, Archer turned to her with a horrified look, leaping toward her faster than she had ever seen him move before. It isn't until his blood stained her face and shirt that Rin realized he took the blow the Shadow meant for her, the mysterious entity having already claimed Shirou's left arm.

With icy certainty, Rin knew he was done for.

* * *

They returned as a group to the Kotomine Church. Where else would they have gone? If there was anything to be done, Kirei was the best person to go to. Though Archer's life was steadily fading, he was still strong enough to make it to the Church on his own. Rider carried Shirou's unconscious body inside as gently as possible.

Somehow, Rin wasn't surprised to see Sakura already there, under Kotomine's care. She nearly reached out to stroke the sleeping girl's hair before she stopped herself. It was a privilege Rin no longer had.

She looked to where Shirou was laying, still unconscious and breathing weakly. Rin hadn't needed Kotomine's medical opinion to tell there wasn't a chance for both Shirou and Archer.

But for Shirou alone…

Rin looked to where Archer and Rider were quietly talking. The acoustics of the Church meant that she could hear them almost as clearly as if she had been standing by them.

"Archer, are you serious when you say that?" The lavender-haired eirei asked, her voice perfectly calm.

"It's better than having us both disappear," Archer replied as he let out a deep breath. "This body is reaching its limits anyway."

Rin stared at her folded hands with dry eyes and a heavy heart, not bothering to say anything. It wasn't as if she had any way of keeping him by her side.

The great doors of the church opened silently as Kirei walked inside, Ilya close behind.

"Well?" The priest prompted. "Time is running out. If you've made your choice, let me hear it now."

Archer's collected expression didn't change.

"Transplant my left arm onto Emiya Shirou."

"It isn't that simple, you know. Your arm won't disappear with you when we bind it to Emiya's magic circuits, and his own mana will consider it as his own flesh, but it isn't the process itself that's the problem." Kotomine reminded Archer. "It's possible, but merging spiritual and physical flesh will ultimately result in rejection, no matter how perfect the match."

Archer shrugged. "The point is that Emiya survives for as long as possible."

Ilya spoke up at this. "Even if it'll kill him in the end? If Shirou uses your arm, he will be overrun by its power - using its power even once will awaken your magic circuits and switch on a time bomb, and his death will only be a matter of time. "

The eirei smirked tiredly at that. "No one lives forever, Ilya. But as he is now, he won't live to see the morning." His attention shifted to Kotomine. "Get ready. We'll start as soon as possible."

Kotomine nodded, exiting with Illya as abruptly as he had entered, Rider following immediately after.

Painful silence filled the church, broken only by the sound of Shirou's strained breathing.

"Rin, come here."

"Which of us is the Master again?" Rin asked sarcastically as she kneeled down next to him, though her heart wasn't in it.

He just looked at her knowingly. Rin flushed, resisting the urge to look away.

"I don't have much time left, Rin."

"Then don't waste it telling me what I already know!" Rin retorted, knowing perfectly well how irrational her anger at Archer was-and how unable she was to help it.

"What if I told you something you didn't know?" Archer asked, and the intensity of his voice caught her off-guard.

Rin blinked before realization dawned on her.

"Like…" _Who the hell you really are?_

Archer looked ready if incredibly reluctant to elaborate when the church doors opened once more to reveal Rider and Ilya standing next to each other.

"Please hurry, Archer." Ilya spoke, sounding far older than her years. Rider had already retrieved Shirou, carrying him with no apparent difficulty.

"Go ahead, I'll be there in a second." Archer responded. Looking at Master and Servant with eyes that saw far more than Rin felt comfortable with, the ruby-eyed homunculus bowed her head before trailing after Rider.

"Arch-" Rin murmured before he kissed her with near-bruising force, and just as quickly let her go.

"There isn't the time anymore. If you truly wish to know, Ilya is the only one who will be able to tell you."

Rin sat rigidly, frozen in denial. Archer looked down at her with understanding, and she kind of hated him for it, for being able to go on when she could not.

"Goodbye, Rin."

* * *

An hour later, Rin's final Command Seal disappeared, a single tear splashing on her wrist where the small crescent used to be.

Once more, she had been left behind.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Lord in Heaven, was this difficult to write. Sure, it's true I devote a disturbing amount of time pondering the many, many, many different ways Archer and Rin could go about making little Tohsakas, but it usually doesn't involve angst in any way. Sadly, there was just no way out of it-I tried writing the sex scene to be sweeter and it completely jarred with the rest of the fic. So I gave it my best shot, and while I'm no Yukari Rin, I'm not unhappy with it. The fact that things will smooth out far more easily after this chapter helps. In keeping with my _Crossing The Universe_ naming pattern, the title was taken from the lyrics for "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", which isn't my favorite Across The Universe song by far, yet I found perfect for the guilty pain that was the Heaven's Feel Rin + Sakura relationship. The lyrics "_I don't know why nobody told you/how to unfold you love/I don't know how someone controlled you/they bought and sold you_", is so Rin speaking to Sakura it isn't even funny. An awful lot of emphasis on their relationship, but Rin's feelings over Sakura is what moves her to reach out to Archer, so it's pretty important.

"_The Tohsaka-style of magecraft is based off of the teachings of the True Magic User Kishua Zelretch Schweinorg, using jewels to store a lifetime's worth of mana._"-sigh I may as well have put the words "IMPORTANT PLOT POINT HERE" in gigantic glowing letters for all the subtlety of this line. But it is important, because Zelretch (a)will be showing up in later chapters and (b)has to do with one of the five types of True Magic, which is going to play in my plot device to resurrect Archer.

True Magic: This'll come into play more in the next chapter, but basically it is described as "achievements impossible to accomplish with modern science or mage craft". In other words, miracles. There are five kinds in all, but the two that matter most in the Fate verse (and in Heaven's Feel route only) are the Second Magic, referred to as Zelretch or Kaleidoscope, which concerns parallel universes, and the Third Magic, referred to as Heaven's Feel, concerning materialization of the soul. That the Grail War happens at all is because of the Third Magic, which allows for resurrection (like in the summoning of Servants who are all long dead) and immortality. Traditionally, the Third has been the territory of the Einzberns, but somehow they lost it and thus founded the Grail Wars in an attempt to regain their lost miracle. The normal Grail (i.e., a vessel like Ilya) collects the souls of defeated eirei, while the Greater Grail system controls the war as a whole. More on specific artifacts of these two True Magics to come later…

Archer: He was pretty dominant in this chapter, but I think it works. He's the sort who takes charge if it's for the best, which was more or less the case here. Also, it's pretty obvious who has the greater amount of sexual experience between him and Rin (who wasn't even in her usual confident state that would have made her try to take more of an equal role), and once Rin's experience builds up, the balance of power will definitely even out. He had his memories too, but never did get a chance to tell Rin who he was. Also, for those of you who want to know, Durendal is the sword of Roland, which in the F/SN verse is enchanted by three miracles, allowing its blade to never dull even when its user's Mana has been expended. The original is in Gilgamesh's Gates of Bablyon, which Archer used as the original source for most of the Traced weapons in Unlimited Blade Works. Ah, Tracing. Plagarism of the TYPE-MOON world. XD

And don't worry-he's not permanently gone by any means. It wouldn't be much of a 30(underscore)lemons challenge if I killed him off just as things were getting good.

Rin: Here's a girl who is in desperate need of a good therapist. Fighting for your life with only one person in the world you can trust is hard enough, but add the fact that your precious little sister has lived through over a decade of constant abuse _and_ you have to kill her before she becomes a threat to more innocent people? I truly believe if Rin _had_ ended up killing Sakura, she would have taken her own life, partly to satisfy her own sense of fairness and partly because no one could live with that kind of guilt. It's something of a miracle that Rin managed to keep it together enough not to have a nervous breakdown, much less make things right in the end. I think in such circumstances, you'd draw comfort and strength from whatever you could-which makes her having sex with Archer believable. He was her only ally at that point, and I think his actions comforted her, in at least helping her feel less alone.

She has a lot more to do, but she's crossed the first hurdle in her relationship with Archer, so things can only get better after Sakura is saved. Of course, they **don't** romantically love each other-it's way too soon for that-but they care about each other, and there's definitely a spark that can be fueled into something much bigger if you catch my drift.

Ilya: She's the Holy Grail vessel, so she has a kind of omnipotence as far as the war is concerned, and apparently she is also able to connect with the memories of the homunculus who is the core of the Greater Grail (and the master of the Third) Lizleihi Justizia von Einzbern. Ilya says soon after Archer dies that she is the only one who knows the true connection between Archer and Shirou-and after Rin realizes Shirou has Archer's version of her pendent, she pretty much forces the truth out of Ilya. Not that they showed that scene in the game, more like hinted at it, but still, you could tell Rin eventually knew the truth.

Sakura and Shirou: Both pretty under-developed here, but the point of this story is to focus on Archer and Rin, not these two. At least they're both toughening up, and Sakura will get her happy ending. I'll be glad when I can have her call Rin "Nee-san", and I have a feeling once this whole mess is sorted out she's so going to get a sister complex, which should clash amusingly with Archer's budding relationship with Rin. Either that, or she'll become hell bent on setting them up-right now I'm torn between which would be funnier.

Rider: My second favorite character (Archer and Rin tie for first), you have to admire her utter loyalty to Sakura as well as her personal strength. Rider has really cute personality traits too, and it never ceases to amuse me that she pretty much has a shy librarian's personality with those supermodel looks. XD

Kotomine: He's evil and an ass to boot, but it's game canon that he's incredibly talented at healing both physical and spiritual bodies. Well, he's doomed, so I'm not going to waste time with him. It's pretty impressive that later he managed to run 100 meters in 7 seconds while carrying Ilya, though. There can't be that many priests out there who could pull that off.

Black Saber: Saber, corrupted by the tainted Grail. I really wish I could have thought of a way to save her as well as Archer, but I couldn't. Pretty bad-ass, though, and because of the current source of her mana, even stronger now than she was when she was alive. Regular Saber might make an appearance again in a dream or vision, because I'd like to include her a little to make up for not even describing her fight with True Assassin and the Shadow.

Zouken: He's an evil guy whose been abusing Sakura ever since she was put under his care. It was his worm familiars swimming through her bloodstream, tainted with the evil of the Grail, that changed Sakura's hair and eye color. A 200-hundred year old vampire whose goal is immortality, he helped found the Grail Wars along with the Tohsaka and Einzbern, but he wasn't a participant.

True Assassin: He was summoned by Zouken using the corpse of Assassin as a catalyst. His true identity is Hassan Sabbah, the leader of an assassination organization originating in the Middle East. Legendary head known as the "Old Man of the Mountain", and origin of the word assassin. He's pretty scary looking, and was summoned for every Grail War except the fifth one, because of Caster's interference.


	4. The Girl With Kaleidoscope Eyes

**Title:** The Girl With Kaleidoscope Eyes  
**Rating:** R. That meant not-worksafe Archer/Rin love, but you're getting the sanitizied for your protection version here. Full MA one can be found at my writing lj.  
**Characters:** Archer x Rin  
**Word Count:** 15,314  
**Warning/s:** Heaven's Feel spoilers, and a lot of them too. I don't think anyone should feel too lost, though.  
**Summary:** Life is never that simple, however. It moves on, a great unstoppable thing, and it's all you can do to try not to be crushed by it along the way.  
**Dedication:** For Burizulu, who left me the _nicest_ review I've ever gotten, and I promised to dedicate this thing to months ago. I just hope it was worth the wait. And for Elf, for helping my improve my smut-writing skills and perving over Archer with me all those times. You've done the world a greater service than you can possibly know.  
**A/N:** Done for the 30 lemons challenge theme 3. The Sexuality of Terror, or, "Help, I'm Out of Control, Thank God!" More (long-ass) notes to follow after the fic.

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

Cross-posted to **fsn fiction**, **30 lemons** and my writing lj.

* * *

Shining iridescently, crystal clear yet tinted with all the colors of the rainbow, the Jeweled Sword Zelretch was truly a sight to behold. Even now, Rin could feel its power humming in her grasp, waiting to be released. A wonderful artifact, capable of matching Servant-level Noble Phantasms. She had known the instant her hands had touched the rough crystal of the blade that Shirou had taken the seal off Archer's borrowed arm to Trace it, that doing so shaved off yet more of what little time he had left, if he even survived until tomorrow, the last day of the war.

Yet there was only one thing on Rin's mind right now. Numbly, she stared at the pendant held in Shirou's swaying hand, a perfect twin to the one lying underneath her shirt in every way.

Even in the midst of his obvious pain from using Archer's arm, Shirou noticed her shocked expression. He followed her gaze to the delicate looking necklace in his palm, confusion settling on his face.

"This, Tohsaka? What's wrong, I'm just holding it as a keepsake."

"Shirou, where did you get it?" Rin asked shakily, voice barely above a whisper. Some very alarming connections were being made in her mind right now, and she had a feeling Shirou's answer would only make things worse.

Shirou frowned, eyes closed tightly in concentration.

"...I can't quite remember." Shirou admitted, sounding uneasy. Given how his memory had been increasingly fractured since the transplant, that came as no surprise to Rin. "But I have this strong feeling I should keep it."

"I have it too." Rin replied, voice gaining a little strength with her rising anger-at what exactly, she wasn't sure. She pulled her necklace off, comparing the two.

"Identical in every respect." Rin murmured in disbelief, before looking a little more closely at Shirou's. "Except yours still has a little mana in it and mine is completely void of it."

Her gaze slid over to where Illyasviel stood, looking completely impassive at the exchange. Too impassive by far, as if nothing was a surprise to her…

_If you truly wish to know, Ilya is the only one who will be able to tell you._

Rin's eyes narrowed, her anger gaining a laser-keen focus. If there was one thing she hated, it was being kept in the dark on purpose. With an effort, Rin clamped down on it, fully meeting Ilya's garnet colored gaze.

"Come outside with me, Ilya." Rin ordered, not at all placated by the other girl doing exactly as she said. It was impossible to miss the manner in which Ilya did it, as if she was humoring Rin. Rin looked over her shoulder where Shirou was crouched down, her anger ebbing at the sight of the pain still running through his body. "You rest in the meantime, Shirou."

* * *

Ilya sat on the engawa, legs swinging in a childish way that was at odds with the calm look on her pale face. Rin stood facing her, restraining her temper with considerable willpower. She wanted answers more than she wanted to unleash her anger, even if the events of the past two weeks had considerably worn down her self-control.

"Well, Rin?" Ilya asked, smoothing out her skirt. "Are you just going to stand there glaring at me until I crack? I was hoping the Tohsaka magus would comport herself with a little more grace."

Rin's hand curled into a fist at that, but there was no denying the Einzbern homunculus had made a valid point. This was no time to just give into her lesser instincts.

"Archer said you were the only one who could tell me what I wanted know." Rin replied, mentally counting her breaths in an effort to calm herself.

"Of course I can. I'm the chosen vessel for the Holy Grail after all. This close to the end of Heaven's Feel, there's very little I don't know." Ilya tilted her head thoughtfully at the taller girl. "But are you sure you _want_ to know, given what you've done?"

Rin went pale at that. _Stay calm...don't give her an edge because of such a loosely phrased question..._

"Vaguely worded accusations don't mean much to me." Rin responded, less steadily than she wished.

"There was certainly nothing vague about what you were doing with your Archer, that last night you shared before he died." Ilya shot back, eyes gleaming with unholy triumph.

Heat swam to Rin's cheeks, part embarrassment, that Ilya would know such a deeply private affair, and part anger that she'd make light of it. To her annoyance, these emotions didn't escape the white-haired girl's notice.

"You don't need to worry, Rin," Ilya explained. "By that point, I knew the same way you'd know something by reading about it in a book. I didn't...see...anything." She smirked a little as Rin flushed more. "Do you regret it?"

Rin glared at her. "No, I don't, not that it's any of your business anyway." She forced herself to calm down before continuing. "Now, quit dancing around the subject and tell me who Archer is!"

Ilya stopped swinging her legs, smiling knowingly at Rin.

"Why should I tell you what you've already put together on your own? I'm just going to say what you already know for yourself and are just blindly hoping you're wrong about."

Rin flinched, Ilya's words hitting the mark perfectly. Just how old _was_ she, anyway? There was no way such harsh, cutting words could come from a true child.

"But it doesn't make any sense," Rin objected weakly. "How can Archer and Shirou be the same person? They don't even look that much alike. Just about the only thing they have in common is Tracing!"

"And your pendant." Ilya responded evenly, toying with a lock of hair the color of snow. She looked a little more sympathetic now, at the realization dawning on Rin's face. "Don't you know that time and space mean nothing to the Throne of Heroes? A hero from an alternate future isn't much of a problem for it, simply because the Throne exists outside any conventional timeline."

Rin sat next to Ilya, no longer trusting her legs to support her. It was true, she had more or less suspected everything Ilya was telling her, but to know it for a fact...

Ilya paused a beat before continuing. "There really isn't a lot I can tell you, even with my knowledge. He survived a Grail War far different from the one we know only to die ten years later."

Rin traced circles on the engawa's surface, a million questions running through her head.

"I guess he must have become some great hero, then, helping others." Rin softly remarked. "Like he wanted to, at first."

Ilya shook her head in denial. "That's just about the opposite of what actually happened. He made a bargain with the World, exchanging indefinite servitude as an eirei as well as a Counter Guardian after his death for a miracle; to change the destinies of a hundred who were meant to die. But he found himself killing many to save many more, and lived out the rest of his life in despair. Because of his deal with the World. Counter Guardians are only summoned to prevent disaster by eliminating the cause, which usually means killing people who are responsible for bringing it."

Ilya's tone grew sadder. "He wanted so badly to save people. To save Saber. To save me. I'm not surprised it broke him, in the end. Anyway, with the decisions onii-chan's made, giving up his ideals to save one person, he and Archer have become separate people, with separate existences."

Rin shook with rage, fury bursting within her like nothing she had felt before.

"So that's just it? He suffered so much, and he's just going to keep suffering forever?"

Ilya's understanding look stung like a sword to the heart.

"There's nothing you can do, Rin. Even then, his existence won't fade because it's become completely independent of Shirou's. Archer will continue to fight his lonely battle, until the World lets him go. That could be the rest of eternity." Surprisingly, Ilya reached over and patted her hand. "All you can do is survive this war like he wanted you to." The homunculus gave her a sly look before she added, "Because he really cared a lot for you, in life and as he existed now."

Rin swallowed hard, eyes burning with tears she didn't have the freedom to let fall, before she stood up with a determined look.

"Then you'll be damn sure that's what I'll do. I swear he won't have died for nothing." Rin declared firmly, feeling her normal state of self-confidence start to flare to life. "Let's get Shirou and Rider ready to go to Ryuudouji."

* * *

Rider lifted her head to the sky, frowning slightly as she stood with Shirou and Rin at the foot of the secret passage underneath Ryuudouji that led to where Sakura would release the Grail.

"True Assassin is gone." The beautiful Servant told the two magi. "He was probably absorbed by Sakura."

Rin let out a sigh as she opened the passage and started walking into its near-total shadows, Shirou and Rider following behind her. "So we've lost and gained a problem at the same time." Her eyes met Shirou's in the darkness. It was better than looking at his left arm.

"So, are you sure about giving me a weapon to kill Sakura?"

Shirou smiled a little at that.

"Well, to save Sakura, two is better than one anyway. And I promised I would trace it."

Rin flushed a little as she stomped ahead.

"Quit seeming so confident I'll go back on my word, fool!"

The trio emerged into the wide open cavern only to be met by Black Saber. Rin forced herself not to take a reflexive step back, but could do nothing about the tremor of almost primal fear that ran down her spine. The Jeweled Sword Zelretch, held tightly in her right hand, was at least a small measure of reassurance.

"I have my orders." The dark Servant intoned, face still and hard as stone. "None shall pass."

Rin bit her lip before glancing at Shirou and Rider. Considering the nature of their respective weapons and opponents, the best choice in this situation was obvious if grating.

"I'll go ahead then." Rin said before smirking at Shirou. "You better make it through and join me to face Sakura, with all that talk about saving her."

The look of steely determination in Shirou's eyes took her aback-it was the first time she had ever seen any real resemblance between him and Archer. It was a expression that left no room for compromise, an utter promise to keep his word.

"I will, Tohsaka." Shirou confirmed as she headed in the direction of the black tower looming before them-the Grail tainted with the 2,000 year old curse, the absolute concentration of the world's evil.

Black Saber moved to stop her only to be halted by Shirou and Rider. Golden eyes grew colder still as she readied her tainted Excalibur.

"Are you so eager to die, Shirou?" Black Saber asked frostily as she slid into a stance.

"Die?" Rider spoke up, pulling off the Gorgon Breaker that sealed her vision. Instantly, the air pressure increased.

"I have to disagree."

* * *

Rin headed up to the black tower, the twisted form of Angra Mainyu, tainter of the Grail nearly complete within it, like some twisted version of a babe within a womb. Revolting as it was, she had no time to be disgusted.

"Where's Zouken?" Rin muttered to herself, looking around for the Matou patriarch. Even without the artifact of True Magic she held firmly in her hand, she was stronger than the vampire. But something was wrong, wrong in a way Rin couldn't afford to deal with. Rin pressed forward, getting closer to the base of the black tower.

A soft, brittle laugh reached her ears before her eyes spotted its origin. A nightmarish reflection of her sister stood just before her, hair white as bone and eyes glowing red. What little of her body that could be seen under her black and red dress was covered with curling, blood-red seals, trailing up from her feet to the left side of her face. The pink ribbon that had once belonged to Rin was still in her hair, making the horrifying familiar...and all the more terrible for it.

Dark Sakura stepped forward, that smile as sharp and empty as broken glass fixed upon her face.

She reeked of shadows. There was no doubt in Rin's mind that Sakura was now the complete embodiment of Angra Mainyu. Rin's fingers curled ever more tightly around the hilt of the blade as she prepared herself for a fight.

"Are you looking for Grandfather? He's dead. True Assassin too." Dark Sakura spoke as she drifted towards her sister. "Also, I won't be free as long as you're around, nee-san. As long as anyone's around, I'll kill them."

"What about Shirou, Sakura?" Rin asked. "He still believes he can save you."

Sakura's empty smile widened.

"Actually, sempai is the only one I want to kill, nee-san. To eat."

Giant shadows formed up around the two sisters, as the sounds of Rider and Black Saber battling rose in the distance. Gritting her teeth, Rin leapt back, charging the blade to full power.

_Time to see what the Jeweled Sword can do. If there was ever a time for a miracle, it's now._

Rin struck with the Zelretch blade, releasing wave upon wave of shining pure mana. Two of the giants dissolved to nothingness, then four, then seven. Rin grinned a little, impressed. Her arm was burning in pain from her magic circuits being forced in such a manner, but it looked like the Second Magic could truly live up to the word "miracle".

Dark Sakura gaped at Rin, shocked by what she had just seen, her sister simply erasing Sakura's mana with her own.

"That's impossible! You shot down so many already, but your mana-level isn't anywhere close to mine! And those strikes are so similar to Saber's Noble Phantasm..."

Rin smirked a little. "No, that's not a copy of Saber's Noble Phantasm. Nor it is a shadow-killing demonic sword. That's just the Zelretch blade used by the Tohsaka family." She caught the blank look on Sakura's face-it was obvious she had never even heard the name Zelretch before.

"If you have an unlimited source of mana as the Grail, the Jeweled Sword Zelretch draws mana from an unlimited number of possible alternate realities, based on how jewels make multiple reflections of light, hence mage craft using jewelry. That's the Second Magic." Rin explained, rejoicing in her success. Maybe there was a little hope after all.

Dark Sakura's face contorted in fury. "Don't look down on me, just because you got a little stronger!"

Rin struck down the remaining shadow giants, wincing as she felt the muscles in her arm start to tear. She really was pushing her circuits to their very limits, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Breathing hard, Rin responded, "Actually, I can only draw as much as my own maximum for each shot. But that can be refilled at will, and I'm talented enough to beat you with that alone."

One giant remained by this point, it too falling to the gleaming blade like the rest of it's brethren.

"How could someone like nee-san possibly understand?!?" Dark Sakura screamed furiously, brittle calm shattered. "I always wanted you to recognize my abilities, just once! But more than that, I wanted you to save me from the Matou! I hoped for so long, even after father gave me up, and Grandfather and nii-san hurt me so much, but you never came!"

Rin's heart contracted painfully in her chest. There was no denying Sakura's accusations. Everyone who could have helped her had failed her. But still...

"In the end, you were the only one who was too weak. I never even knew you got hurt. You should have let me know yourself, because I couldn't have guessed alone." Rin hissed in pain as she prepared Zelretch for one final charge, her torn muscles burning in agony. "I never even thought I was more gifted, or better than you."

Dark Sakura let out a wordless howl of rage at Rin's words, which was just what had been needed. Rin detonated the jeweled portion of the blade at her, rushing her sister as she was blinded by the blast.

Sakura stiffened in shock as Rin pulled her into a hug, holding her tight.

"I could never say it to Shirou..." Rin murmured to Sakura, voice soft and gentle even as what little strength she had left drained away. "But I could never kill you, even at the very end. Because I really do love you, even though I said I'd kill you all those times..."

Vision blurring to black, Rin saw tears running down her sister's face as she collapsed into unconsciousness.

_Don't cry...Sakura..._

* * *

It was the pain that woke her up first, from the utter oblivion of true unconsciousness. Even the slightest movement sent waves of fire down her left arm. Gasping, Rin looked around as much as her arm allowed, the haze of pain finally lifting enough for her to realize she was in one of the Emiya guestrooms.

The door whispered open, admitting Rider, who had brought hot water and bandages. Her Breaker Gorgon was on once more, hiding her dangerous eyes, but Rin could still tell she was surprised.

"You're awake." Rider observed, soft voice faintly colored with surprise. "I wasn't expecting that to happen so soon."

"Where's Sakura?" Rin asked as she sat up as quickly as she could, her concern for her sister overriding her own pain.

"She's safe. Asleep in her room. She managed to get through without any injuries, but the shock of having her connection to Angra Mainyu severed knocked her out." Rider reassured her as she carefully bound up Rin's arm.

Rin hesitated before asking the underlying question.

"And Shirou?"

Rider set the bowl of hot water down, face hidden by her long lavender hair.

"When I last saw him, just after he freed Sakura, hundreds of blades were being made inside his body, instead of outside, because of Archer's arm." Rider neatly tied off Rin's bandage before finishing. "He's probably dead by now. If that didn't kill him, any final Tracing he did to destroy the Grail would have done so."

Rin brought her knees to her chest, shaking, before collecting herself. Wincing, she got to her feet. She was still feeling very weak, but at least she could walk on her own.

"The Grail's been destroyed?" Rin questioned, as she pulled on her shirt.

"Yes." Rider confirmed. "It seems I'm still here because Sakura's body is still acting as a Grail, even though the link's been severed. She certainly has more than enough mana to support me."

Rin reached into the drawer for the few very minor gemstones she had remaining. While none of them were all that remarkable or possessed much mana, they might still be able to help in some small way. It was certainly better than nothing.

Rin's brow furrowed as a sudden thought crossed her mind.

"Where's Ilya?"

Rider looked anxiously at her before she replied.

"I don't know. She wasn't here when I brought you and Sakura back."

That was odd. Ilya would have been perfectly safe at the Emiya home. But the homunculus was far from helpless, especially with the greatest dangers in Fuyuki having already been eliminated.

"Ilya can take care of herself for the moment." Rin finally answered as she left the room, beckoning Rider to follow her. "Right now, we need to go Ryuudouji and retrieve Shirou...whether he's alive or not." She knelt down at the doorway, pulling on her loafers.

"Can you fly us without being seen, Rider?"

A moment's silence passed as the eirei considered the question.

"Yes, if I fly fast enough."

"Good. Fast is what we need right now. You can tell me what happened on the way."

* * *

The wind roared in her ears as Rin clung a little tighter to Rider. Even when she had flown with Archer, she had never been so high up. While she didn't have a great fear of heights, having a winged horse being the only thing separating you from a very messy death thousands of feet below would give anyone vertigo. Desperately, Rin focused on Rider's words in an attempt to ignore her own fear.

"And then what happened?" Rin asked, loudly enough for Rider to hear her over the wind.

"Shirou Traced the Rho Aias shield of Telamonian Ajax, using his right arm instead of his left. It wasn't the full version, but it was enough when combined with my Pegasus and Mystic Eyes to defeat Black Saber and Excalibur. After that final strike though, we were both down for the count and only Shirou was standing. He finished Saber off with your Azoth blade."

Unseen by Rider, Rin closed her eyes in regret. If only there had been some way to save her...

"By the time I recovered enough strength to follow Shirou, he had already severed Angra Mainyu's hold on Sakura with a Traced Rule Breaker. I got you both and flew out on Pegasus as quickly as I could." Rider's voice grew quiet, so much so that Rin barely heard her. "By that point his mind was so fractured he couldn't even remember my name, and the toll on his body was just as bad."

Both women were silent the rest of the way, faced with the certainty that it would be a corpse that would be their duty to bring back to the Emiya household. Rider gently tugged the golden reins, and Pegasus descended with amazing smoothness, landing as gently as a leaf blown by the breeze. It was still night out, only about an hour since Rider had taken Rin and Sakura away from Ryuudouji to safety. Under the cover of darkness Rin and Rider made their way to the secret passage leading to the underground cavern.

The mouth of the passageway gaped open, as dark and bleak as it had been last time. Rin looked uneasily at Rider before gathering her nerve and heading down the shadowy path, the Servant and her mount following close behind.

They emerged together to the ravaged battleground their respective fights had left the cavern under the temple. To Rin's relief, the black tower was completely gone, but at what cost they were about to find out. Rin scanned the area as best she could in the dim light.

"If he's anywhere, it's probably where the tower stood." Rider spoke up, one hand patting Pegasus' neck for comfort.

"I know." Rin admitted. She glanced over her shoulder at the taller woman, before reluctantly continuing. "Would you mind letting me look by myself, first?"

It really was an impossible task, to judge what Rider was thinking with her Gorgon Breaker on. Finally, the eirei nodded in assent.

"I will wait until I am called, then, or if I feel you are in danger."

Rin sighed softly as she started up to where the black tower had been.

"There's nothing here to be in any danger _from_, Rider. There's nothing at all."

* * *

Rin walked up the rest of the way by herself, feeling her exhaustion with every step. Nonetheless, she pressed on. This was one of those things best undertaken in solitude, and Rin had never liked sharing her grief with others.

She was nearly at the foot of where the tower had been-her encounter with Sakura had prevented her from getting this far before, but she wasn't doing too badly for the unfamiliar terrain.

Then she spotted the body.

For one terrible moment her heart stopped, until she realized it was too tall and built to be Shirou. Rin studied the corpse more intently, recognizing it even in its beaten state.

"...Kirei?"

Not that she expected an answer. His body was cool and already starting to stiffen-he probably had only been dead for less than an hour. Sakura had taken back the artificial heart he had received from the Grail, so that he had died wasn't surprising. What she didn't understand was why he looked so beaten now, like he had fought-

_Shirou. _

He tried to stop Shirou from destroying the Grail. And Shirou had to fight Kirei on top of everything else. 

Rin looked up desperately from Kotomine's body, looking for the smallest sign of blue or white. Praying, for the first time in a very, very long time, for a miracle. Hope was all she had left at this point.

If she hadn't been looking so closely, she would have missed it, covered as it was in dirt and blood and hidden mostly by rubble besides. Shaking, Rin rushed in the direction of the denim clad leg she had spotted at the very base of where the tower had been.

Emiya Shirou lay crumpled on the ground, filthy and unconscious but in one piece. Not wasting a moment, Rin carefully laid her head on his chest, listening to a heartbeat that by all rights shouldn't have been there and yet was, and perfectly steady and strong too.

Happy as she was, Rin didn't miss the oddity of the situation. She cast an appraising look at the limp magus, jaw dropping at the sight of his perfectly restored left arm, whole and matching his right. To say nothing of the fact he should have at least been wounded, yet didn't have a single scratch on him.

Rin shrugged slightly to herself. She could always just ask Shirou when he woke up. The dark-haired magus stood from her crouch, ready to turn around and get Rider, when something else caught her eye.

Pure, billowing crimson, only worn by one person she knew.

Rin sank to her knees in shock, afraid for one terrifying moment that she had lost her mind, that this was all a dream, that she was hallucinating the whole scene...

"_Archer._"

* * *

These last few days had passed strangely for Archer. He had died, yet because of the transplant of his left arm onto Emiya Shirou, his existence in this world still continued in a small but undeniable way. Thinking back on it, it was much like being in a coma, all darkness except for muted sounds coming very far away. 

He had died.

Yet, somehow, he was here now, alive and whole, and someone had just called his name.

Archer opened his eyes and pushed himself up, wondering at the feeling of bones and muscle and skin moving perfectly together. He had forgotten how heavy a body was, after all this time. He wasn't quite up to absorbing the sheer impossibility of possessing real flesh at all, not the distant imitation a materialized Servant had, but it didn't matter, seeing as he had no idea how he had gotten his body back in the first place.

Where the hell was he, anyway? The cavern he was in looked somewhat familiar, but after a certain point most battlegrounds tended to look alike-and a very fierce battle indeed had taken place.

_This must be the secret cavern underneath Ryuudouji. Someone must have reached the Grail and destroyed it._

Though Archer was still disoriented, the haze of confusion was rapidly lifting from his mind.

It cleared completely at the sight of Rin. He still didn't know what the hell was going on, but she was alive, and safe, and that was what truly mattered. It had been many years since he had last felt such utter relief.

"Archer..." Rin whispered, lovely face gone nearly white with shock, eyes wide and dilated. Summoning strength from her last inner reserve she kneeled next to him, lightly resting her hands on his thigh as if she were afraid anything more would make him disappear.

With an effort, Archer suppressed the heat stirred in his chest by the feeling of her slender hands through the leather of his pants. His gaze slid down to the bandages that could be seen from around her wrist to far underneath her shirt sleeve, and the sudden wave of self-loathing that swept over him dampened his desire. At least she seemed to be fine otherwise, if on her last bit of energy.

"You're injured, Rin, and obviously exhausted as well." Archer noted, fake annoyance hiding the very real anger in his tone before he smirked at Rin in a way that never failed to rile her up. "Are you that helpless without me?"

As he had hoped, angry color swam to Rin's cheeks, her eyes flashing like the ocean under the sun.

"I'm obviously not hallucinating this, since I think my subconscious would at least _try_ make you less of an...an..." Rin snapped at him, trying to find a word vile enough to describe him before giving up and kissing him so hard it nearly knocked them both down.

For once, Archer was at a complete loss for words as their lips parted. Rin looked aside at his startled gaze, flushing more as she licked her lips in embarrassment.

"And don't take that the wrong way! I was just-"

"Happy to see me, Rin?"

"Shut up, Archer!"

A groaning noise cut off any reply Archer may have had. Both turned to where Emiya Shirou was stirring into consciousness. In a flash Rin was by his side, helping him sit up as gently as possible. There was something off about him-not quite human, even if there was no doubt it was Shirou before her.

"-ya." Shirou rasped weakly, eyelids still fluttering open.

"What, Shirou? Are you alright? What happened?" Rin asked, confusion and worry warring within her. His eyes focused on hers, the bleak despair in them taking her aback.

"Ilya...gone..." The redhead whispered hollowly, not to her so much as to himself, before passing out again, a tear sliding down his blood-smeared cheek. As calmly as she could manage, Rin checked his pulse before sighing in relief.

Still steady-it just seemed to be exhaustion. Happy as she was Shirou was alright, Rin felt he could have rested at a more convenient time. Something major had happened after Rider had taken her and Sakura away-something aside from the obvious destruction of the Grail-and she had no idea what it was, other than the fact Ilya had been involved and the end result was the resurrection of both Shirou and Archer.

The firm touch of Archer's hand on her back snapped her out of her musings. Shifting to face him, the mix of concern and irritation in his eyes caught her off guard.

"Did you come here by yourself?"

Rin shook her head, in denial and to compose herself.

"Rider flew me over here on Pegasus. She's waiting at the cavern entrance for me to call her over. I wasn't expecting to find anything but a body." Rin bit her lip before looking up at him hesitantly. "Do...do you know anything about what happened?"

Archer was quiet for a long, tense moment, eyes clouded and face still. Rin was about to open her mouth, to brush her question off, to do _something_ to break the painful silence, when Archer's eyes met her own.

"...I don't really know myself. It was a disorienting experience. The only thing I can tell you is that I heard Ilya's voice, as if from far away, and then I was here...whole again."

Rin swallowed, throat dry. The tortured look on Archer's face nearly stopped her, but she had to ask.

"What did she say?"

Archer closed his eyes, the shadows of grief upon him.

"...That she wanted me to live more than herself. Then goodbye."

Numbly Rin stared at him, despising herself all the more for forcing him to recall such pain.

"Archer, I'm-"

Her Servant got to his feet, bracing Shirou's limp frame against his shoulder.

"Don't finish that, Rin. Call Rider over, so we can leave as quickly as possible. Your sister shouldn't be left alone."

Her body tightly wound as piano wire, Rin silently stood, barely able to give him a curt nod. Pointing her finger towards the roof of the cavern, the German flare incantation that spilled from her lips was all that was spoken until Rider's arrival.

* * *

If Rider was surprised at the unusual turn of events, she concealed it with her usual grace.

_Or maybe she just has her priorities straight._ Rin thought as she slowly walked up the steps of the Emiya grounds, the others trailing further behind her. _If I had half her composure, at least Archer and I would be able to look at each other without pretending we weren't. I never thought flying with him would be __**worse**__ than flying on Pegasus._

The dark-haired mage sighed softly, glancing at the silent man out of the corner of her eye. _Well, I can wish things were different all I want. It won't change anything._

A distant noise caught Rin's attention, stopping her mid-step. She froze in place, straining her ears to their limits. There was no mistaking the far-off sound.

Sakura was crying.

Her body, exhausted or not, took over at that point. Rin flew up the steps, loafers skidding on the slate walkway leading to the house. Sakura lay curled up on the engawa sobbing, looking young and vulnerable with her hair loose and her baggy pajamas. Without a second thought, Rin pulled her little sister into her arms, and ten years of separation disappeared.

"N-nee-san..." Sakura whispered weakly, pressing her tear-stained face into Rin's shoulder. "S-sempai isn't here. I looked and looked and looked all over for him, but he's not here. He's gone, and it's all my fault."

"I'm sorry, Sakura. We shouldn't have left you to wake up by yourself." Rin murmured, gently stroking her sister's soft violet hair. "But you don't have to cry any longer." Carefully, she shifted them both to face the walkway even as Archer and the others rushed up. "Shirou's alive and well."

Rin would treasure the look of pure, simple joy that spread over Sakura's face for the rest of her life. It made the pain and trials of the Fifth Heaven's Feel utterly trivial by comparison. Everything they had gone through had been for this moment-and there were no regrets.

Shakily, as if she didn't trust her own strength, Sakura stood, staring with wide eyes at Shirou, still unconscious against Archer, but clearly breathing and alive.

"S...sempai?" Sakura breathed before rushing towards him with a joyful cry. "Sempai!" She was crying again as she embraced Shirou, but the happy tears made all the difference.

For one wonderful moment, all was right with the world.

* * *

If this had been a fairy tale, that's where it would have ended. The hero reunited with his love, destined to live his days out in peace and happiness.

_Life is never that simple, however._ Archer thought from where he sat cross-legged at the low table. _It moves on, a great unstoppable thing, and it's all you can do to try not to be crushed by it along the way._

The living room was empty but for himself, Rider...and Rin. Sakura had opted to stay with Shirou, still unconscious even after being cleaned up and changed. He supposed that with all she had gone through, Sakura would be reluctant to part from him.

All the same, Archer couldn't help but wish she was there. Anything to break the silent tension-

"Archer." Rin spoke up suddenly, face serious. "I've been thinking about what must have happened before Rider and I returned to Ryuudouji."

"Oh?" Archer raised an eyebrow as he and Rider both looked at her. "And you don't think it would be better for Emiya to wake up and just get the facts from him?"

"That's the thing." Rin said quietly. "His mind was so broken by that point, I don't think he could tell us. Even though he's probably fine now, that disorientation in that past won't clear up."

"What would you recommend, then?" Rider asked, expression unreadable.

Rin flushed a little, cheeks going faintly pink.

"All we really have to go on are Archer and Shirou. Their bodies to be specific. So..." Rin's color darkened a little before she finished. "So the only choice I have is to examine one of you."

It took considerable willpower to keep his face straight-moreso in the face of the small smirk making its way across Rider's face.

"I'll just wait until Shirou wak-" Rin said, getting to her feet and heading to the door only to be blocked by Archer.

"Just examine me in one of the guestrooms." Archer curtly cut her off. "They shouldn't be disturbed, and you don't know how long he's going to be out."

Something flickered in Rin's eyes before perfect composure took over.

"Of course. That's the smartest thing to do." Rin replied coolly as Archer slid the door open. "Rider, would you mind standing guard outside Shirou's room?"

The lavender-haired eirei nodded, hair whispering against the tatami mats as she rose. "Of course not. Please...take your time."

Archer scowled as he followed Rin out the room. His imagination was excellent, but the smirk on Rider's face that came with her last words was, unfortunately, all too real. And all too irritating.

* * *

It was the deepest layer of Hell that he was currently in. With every breath in his body, Archer cursed Emiya Shirou all the more.

In the safety of his own head, that was. Even the softest whisper would have attracted Rin's attention, given how very close she was to him.

Very, _very_ close.

"Okay, turn 15 degrees to the left and flex your right arm." Rin ordered, eyes sharply focused as she carefully studied the play of muscles under his skin, the diagnostic magic circle glowing softly beneath them both.

Resisting the urge to snarl in frustration, Archer did as she asked. He understood the need for analysis-but did she _really_ have to have those small, soft hands of hers firmly on his bare skin the entire time? On his shoulders, his arms, his abdomen-the only small grace in the entire situation was that his pants were still on.

She had even listened to his heartbeat ("a little fast"), and the warm feel of her pressed against him, head resting on his chest had nearly broken him. Archer didn't know what it was about Rin that more or less gave his self control all the resilience of tissue paper, but much more of this slow torture and he'd do something incredibly stupid. The futon tucked unobtrusively in the corner was testing him enough as it was. He was made of swords, not stone.

Mercifully, Rin finally stepped away, her delicate jasmine scent lingering in the air. Deep in thought, she handed him his body armor, a frown creasing her lovely face. Silently, Archer buckled it back on, grateful for that small measure of separation from her...for all the good it did.

She was still frowning by the time he slipped his jacket and trail back on, eyes facing his direction but focused on something else. Feeling awkward, Archer stood still, wondering if he should speak up when she beat him to it.

"Amazing." Rin murmured, lightly skimming his jaw line with slender fingers. Archer blinked, tensing up before he saw the distant look on her face-she wasn't really thinking about what she was doing. A soft, sad smile curved her lips as her eyes met his and held. "Even in a flawed form it really is worthy of the title 'Magic'..."

Against his own will, Archer's heart started to pound.

"Rin-"

Suddenly, the door slid open, revealing Rider's voluptuous form on the other side.

"Pardon me for interrupting," Rider said, somehow conveying a little amusement behind her completely calm expression, "But Shirou is awake now, should you wish to speak to him."

"He is?" Rin asked, dropping her hand from Archer's face. "How's he feeling?"

"He seems to be doing well." Rider replied evenly. "Still a little disoriented and very tired, but there doesn't appear to be any lasting physical damage."

Rin nodded, looking relieved. "Well, I think I've pieced together what's happened as best I can on my own." Sighing, she headed out the door. "Since Shirou probably can't move too well still, we'll just have to all go to his room."

Automatically, Archer made to follow Rin, until the force of Rider's stare on the back of his head stopped him abruptly.

"Do you have something you wish to say, Servant Rider?" He asked in the icy calm voice of the truly dangerous.

"Back at the school, you commended me for my loyalty to Sakura." Rider responded as she brushed past him. "I was merely admiring yours. You are no longer Rin's Servant, yet you still follow despite not being the kind of man who is inspired to do such things."

"...You're wrong." Archer countered at Rider's retreating back.

"Rin will always be my Master."

* * *

To see Emiya Shirou as he was now was to see an ultimate exercise in contrasts. Every inch of him looked weary to the bone, completely drained, until you saw his eyes. They _burned_ with life, with vitality, with sheer determination. With utter willpower they hadn't quite had the last time Archer had seen them.

Shirou only showed the faintest surprise at seeing Archer enter the room after Rin and Rider, sherry brown eyes meeting steel grey without hesitation until Rin cleared her throat, drawing the attention of all the room's occupants.

"So, how are you feeling, Shirou?" Rin asked, her soft smile in Emiya's direction causing Archer's hand to clench involuntarily before he forced himself to relax.

Shirou smiled weakly in turn, absently curling his fingers against Sakura's, the violet-haired girl sitting closely next to him.

"Very, very tired, Tohsaka. But I'm in one piece, and that's what counts."

Rin breathed out slowly as she settled down on the floor, her lips curving sardonically.

"That much is obvious. You really should still be sleeping."

"I can sleep anytime. Right now, this is more important."

Rin studied him intently, her face growing serious.

"Unfortunately, it is. I've tried my hardest, but at best I only have a very rough idea of what happened. I know it's unlikely, but if you remember _anything_, anything at all, please tell me. Even the most insignificant thing could help."

Shirou closed his eyes briefly in concentration, thumb gently rubbing Sakura's hand as he opened them again, forehead creased with mental effort.

"There was a girl with white hair and red eyes...Ilya, even if I couldn't recognize her at the time...and she was wearing a beautiful dress." The red head paused, voice going soft with the memory. "It was the purest shade of white I had ever seen, with bits of red and gold...And she was saying something to me, but I couldn't really understand. Then everything went white until I woke up here." Shirou looked at Rin, shrugging. "That's the best I can do, Tohsaka. I know it was probably useless-"

"It wasn't." Rin interrupted, voice barely above her whisper. "The Einzbern's Dress of Heaven is the only way Ilya could have done it. One of the last remaining artifacts of the Third...one of the last objects capable of bringing about a 'miracle'." Looking like she was going to hit the limit of her energy soon, Rin massaged her temples briefly before continuing. "I don't really know much about it myself-just bits and pieces from Tohsaka Family records. What you could compare the Dress of Heaven to is like a much, much smaller version of the Greater Grail, something that has the same ability to materialize the soul, but for far less time. Several seconds at the most, probably."

Shocked silence hung in the air before Sakura, voice timid yet eyes determined, ended it.

"But Nee-san, even if she managed to accomplish all that, without a body to anchor the soul to, it would vanish after the time limit of even the Dress of Heaven."

Rin smiled gently at Sakura before correcting her.

"That's true, but the Einzberns are famous for their ability to make artificial bodies and spiritual transference. If she had bodies without a soul already attached to them available, she could transfer the summoned souls into them and they could remain in this world independent of the Dress of Heaven, like pouring water into a vessel and sealing it shut." Her gaze slid from Shirou to Archer, a dry smile twisting her lips. "That actually explains why something feels...off...about you two. Your bodies are more like those of homunculi than those of humans. It was an imperfect use of the Third, after all."

Shirou tilted his head, confused.

"Is that a problem, Tohsaka? A body is a body, right?"

Archer snorted derisively, speaking up for the first time since entering the room.

"Your knowledge of the basest thaumaturgy is lacking. Even the most ignorant magus knows a perfectly made homunculus doesn't age, doesn't die of natural causes in spite of a fragile existence." Archer's eyes darkened to the grey of storm clouds as he continued. "And even a flawed Einzbern homunculus is still better than the most perfect homunculus created by any other mage."

"Shut up, you two." Rin snapped, holding up a hand for silence before the discussion could degenerate into an argument as she shot Archer a killing glare. "Look, we're all exhausted, mentally and physically, and it's not like we could do anything about your bodies at the moment anyway. Ilya sacrificed her own existence so Emiya Shirou-**both** of them-could live. Don't demean it."

"'Both of them', Nee-san?" Sakura asked, eyes wide with shock, and even Rider looked somewhat startled. "Then Archer-san really is..."

Rin groaned, burying her face in her palms before she reached out without a word, brushing Archer's hair forward so his bangs hung over his forehead. Sakura's sudden, sharp gasp told him she had connected the dots as least as far as his identity was concerned.

"Alternate reality future self." Rin said shortly to the room at large, standing up unsteadily. "Whether you get the details or not is up to Archer. But now, all I want is to..."

Suddenly, Rin's knees buckled as her eyes fluttered shut. She swayed for a second before Archer swiftly caught her, carefully avoiding her left arm as her limp frame rested in his arms.

"She pushed herself too hard. I'll take her to bed." Archer remarked, realizing a second after the words left his mouth exactly how they sounded, quickly adding, "Once she's slept for a few hours she'll be fine."

Sakura and Shirou quickly looked at each other, some silent message passing between the two of them before they both stood.

"Please do that, Archer-san." Sakura said, her sweet smile somewhat offset by the warning gleam in her eye. "I'll get Nee-san a yukata. It will be more comfortable to sleep in than her regular clothes. Sempai, would you go with him so he doesn't have to open the door while holding Nee-san?"

"Sure, Sakura." Shirou promised. "I'll take care of it."

* * *

They parted ways in the hallway, Sakura and Rider going to the storeroom to retrieve the yukata as Archer took Rin to the guestroom she had been in earlier, Shirou trailing behind.

The younger man kept his mouth shut as he slid the door open, but Archer doubted that blessed state would last. Emiya Shirou clearly had something to say to him-just what was still unknown to Archer.

_I can hazard a good guess._ He thought as he gently lay Rin on the futon before leaving the room so Sakura and Rider could change her in privacy. _It's only natural he'd be protective of Rin, as a friend as well as practically a family member with the way things are likely to go with Sakura..._

"You should change too, Archer." Shirou commented, expression even. "I still have a few of Oyaji's old yukata. They'll be a bit small on you, but it's better than any other choice you have now. After all, you have to sleep now."

Archer narrowed his eyes, searching his words for hidden meaning and finding none. Also, annoying as it was to admit, Emiya's idea wasn't a bad one. Reluctantly, he followed Emiya to Kiritsugu's room where they both knew his clothes were still kept.

Kneeling down, Shirou sorted through the contents of the clothes chest with a certain special care until he found the navy-blue summer kimono, faintly smelling of cedar. Getting to his feet, the red head handed Archer the cotton garment, expression serious.

"Be careful with it. I don't have many things of his left."

Archer nodded in assent, neither man moving from where they stood. Utter silence filled the room, each sizing the other up.

"Out with it, Emiya. I know you didn't try to get me alone just to lend me clothes out of the goodness of your heart."

Shirou didn't blink at Archer's jab, face resolute.

"You're right. There's something I must say to you." He took a step towards Archer, before bowing deeply. "Thank you for everything."

The white-haired man remained perfectly still, looking at the younger man without so much as a blink. If Emiya had been hoping to surprise him, the boy was in for a world of disappointment.

"Nothing I did was for your sake." Archer said, voice cold and hard as steel.

"I know it wasn't." Shirou returned, straightening up to look him in the eye. "But it helped us all, at great personal cost to yourself. Even though it wasn't for me, my gratitude is still sincere." A thoughtful look settled on Shirou's features as he reached into his pocket. "Besides, there was also this."

In his outstretched palm lay a familiar looking gemstone pendant.

"Are you trying to return it?" Archer asked sarcastically, tone harsh. "It's not mine."

To his irritation, Emiya smirked-smirked!-thoughtfully at him, placing the delicate looking necklace on top of the neatly folded yukata.

"Ah, right. It's always been Tohsaka's, hasn't it? You should return it to her, then."

It took a Heroic Spirit level of willpower to resist punching the younger man, and even then it was a near thing.

"Yes, _the necklace_," Archer enunciated carefully, "Has always belonged to Rin. But as the one who found it, you should give it back to her yourself."

Emiya shrugged, smirk lessening if not fading away.

"You're going to watch over her when you're done changing, aren't you? You may as well give it back to her. Besides, I've left Sakura long enough. I'm sure she's already set out a futon for you, so just head to the guestroom when you're done." He added, slipping out before Archer could offer a word out protest, the door sliding shut behind him.

Archer scowled at the shouji even as he began to strip out of his armor. It figured the only thing worse than Emiya being right was Emiya being right at his expense.

* * *

Five days later, Rin would have normally been pleased with how well things were going. Everything had somehow worked out in the end. The research on how to attain normal bodies for Shirou and Archer was starting to pick up some. Even the fake identities she had put together for the two Servants were nearly complete. In the modern-day clothing they had acquired, both passed for human-at least Archer did and Rider would as soon as the special item Rin had ordered for her arrived.

But she wasn't thinking of those things now, curled up in a tight ball in her bed, fear and loathing from her latest nightmare still sweeping over her body in waves. If she had been in any shape to do so, Rin would have appreciated the irony of sleeping so peacefully the night of the last day of the War, only to suffer from crippling dreams every night afterwards.

Terrible, frightening nightmares. Nightmares where they all failed, where Sakura had died, where she had died, where Angra Mainyu had been fully summoned and the world blown straight into the End of Days.

So far she had managed to keep their existence to herself, though Archer had been eyeing her suspiciously lately. If there was one person she wanted to hide them from, it was him. Not from shame at her own weakness, but because his own innate kindness despite all he had been through would make him try to comfort her.

Comfort was the last thing she had any right to. For her failure as a sister, for her failure as a magus, for selfishly forcing him into her bed.

Rin would deal with it on her own. She had managed by herself for ten long years. To not even be able to face her own subconscious would be truly pathetic. She _had_ to.

If only the worst nightmare wasn't yet to come, Tohsaka Rin might have succeeded.

* * *

_In the darkness, the only clear thing is the weak crying, the kind of weeping that came from one who has the strength to do nothing else. Each sob tears painfully at Rin's heart, a tiny barb ripping her to pieces. _

Then a wet, rustling noise starts up. The sound of many small things squirming, writhing, moving as if every motion was a struggle.

A door suddenly opens, casting a dim light into the darkness, and even in the dream Rin's stomach turns.

Sakura as she had been ten years ago, small and fragile with hair and eyes already changed, lays utterly limp on a mass of worms. If it hadn't been for the delicate rising of her tiny chest, every breath an effort, Rin would think she was dead.

There were bruises on her throat, on her legs, on her cheek, visible even under the shadow cast by the figure in the doorway.

"Half a day and you're still alive." Matou Zouken comments, tone as mildly surprised as if he was talking about a sudden change of weather. "What do you know, the Tohsaka line isn't defective after all."

Sakura doesn't say anything out loud. But there is just enough light to see the words her lips silently formed.

_**Nee-san...help me...help me...helpmehelpmehelpmehelpmehelpme-**_

Rin tries to move forward, more desperately than she ever has in her life. But in the way of nightmares, she is frozen in place, absolutely mute.

She screams anyway, the cry that escapes all the more terrible for its silence, and not even cut short by the horror before her eyes blurring into nothingness. 

"---Rin! Rin, wake up!"

Shaking with residual terror, Rin focused on the sight in front of her: Archer, large hands firmly gripping her shoulders, handsome face shadowed with deep concern. With a swift movement she clung to him, burying her face in the soft black cloth of his shirt. Startled though he was, Archer didn't ask any questions, gently stroking her hair.

Awareness returned swiftly, and with it shame and anger. Rin tensed, pushing herself away from Archer and the kindness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry for bothering you," Rin said stiffly, hands tightly clenching the yellow cotton of her nightgown, "But I'm fine now. It was only a bad dream-"

"Don't waste your breath lying to me, Rin." Archer cut her off, his even tone not quite masking very real fury. "A simple bad dream wouldn't make someone as strong as you wake up screaming in the middle of the night." His too-knowing gaze nearly made Rin shrink back, only her own sense of pride stopping her from backing down. "You've been having nightmares every night since the last day of Heaven's Feel, haven't you?"

Rin lifted her chin stubbornly. "And what if I have? After such an event, some trauma is normal."

"Keeping it all to yourself _isn't_." Archer growled. "What possible reason could you have for trying to hide it? Do you really think no one will notice you look pale and tired?"

Rin's shoulders slumped at that as she stared at her lap, defeated.

"...That's something I don't deserve. Comfort...support...understanding...all the things Sakura never got when she needed it the most." Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, mercilessly held back. "So I won't seek it out." Rin bit her lip, mentally steadying herself for the cutting response she was sure Archer had ready for her.

The gentle embrace he drew her into broke her in a way harsh words never could. Unbidden, a tear slid down her cheek, dampening his shirt. Bewildered, it was all she could do to not simply give in and shove her cares onto his shoulders.

"Archer?" Rin asked softly, hands pressed against his chest by the strength of the arms around her.

"You've always been so worldly, Rin. So confident. Sometimes I forget you're ten years younger than I am." Archer sighed, looking like someone who had gotten the joke but didn't appreciate the punch line. "That there are things you have yet to learn and experience."

Rin blinked, brow furrowing. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Archer loosened his grip on her, one large hand lifting her chin to make their eyes meet before moving to brush her cheek. His face was utterly serious in a way Rin rarely saw.

"That you've made a mistake that you feel you can never make up for. And the painful truth of the matter, Rin, is that you _can't_ make up for it. No matter how much you punish yourself, it won't change what happened to Sakura."

Rin trembled, more hot tears following the path of the first.

"But I can't...I can't just do nothing, even if it's pointless..." Rin whispered.

Archer's small smile made her heart race in a way that had nothing to do with fear.

"Help her build and protect the happiness she has now. The past is set, but the future can be anything. But Rin, good as your intentions were, holding so tightly to what happened to Sakura will just keep her chained to it, and she'll never be truly free. Don't disregard it, but you shouldn't keep her a victim for the rest of her life."

The dark-haired magus closed her eyes, the tears flowing freely.

"Is that all the hard-earned wisdom you have to share, Archer?" Rin asked even as his thumb carefully caught what tears it could.

"For the moment." Archer replied calmly, pulling her back against him, settling her on his lap automatically. "It took me a long time to accept, but you've always been smarter than me. I doubt it'll take you as long."

Rin laughed weakly at that, pressing her face into his collarbone. They sat together for a long while, Archer patiently holding her as she finally began to calm down.

"...Thank you, Archer." Rin murmured eventually, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry you had to put up with my weakness again."

Archer frowned down at her, one hand at the small of her back while the other stroked silky black hair. "You're not weak in any sense of the word, Rin."

Rin snorted slightly in response. "I know that, which is why I hate that when I _did_ weaken, it was around you. The person whose respect I wanted most..." She caught his genuinely startled expression and flushed pink. "Don't look at me like that. I know I could never be on your level in term of combat, but if I could have been your emotional equal, that would have been enough for me. But I couldn't even do that." The pink coloring her cheekbones darkened. "Even now, I..."

Concerned, Archer looked at her, studying her face carefully. "You what? Rin, is there something you need to tell me?"

Rin blushed, searching for the tiniest sign he knew what she was getting at, and not finding it. Just when she thought she couldn't disgrace herself _more_ in front of him, too.

"Archer..." She began reluctantly, eyes pleading with him to stop her words. "That night, the one before you died...I know I pressured you into it, and I'm sorry-"

"Don't even think that, Rin. You didn't force me into anything I didn't want for myself. If anything, I should apologize to you. I didn't see to your enjoyment like I should have."

"W-what do you mean, Archer? It hurt some at the end, but you really did make me feel like I wasn't alone..." She took a deep breath before finishing in a rush, feeling as if she might burn up in sheer embarrassment. "And you made sure I c-came. That's the point, right?"

"Rin..." Archer breathed out slowly. "If _that's_ all you think there is to it, I really did fail you on that account."

"Well, it's not like I had a wealth of experience to draw on." Rin muttered, wishing desperately she wasn't so aware of the feel of him against her. "Even now, I...I want you to touch me again. To make me feel like I'm not alone."

Archer went still as a statue at her words, not even breathing. Angry with herself for ruining the comfort of the moment, Rin tried to move away only to be caught in a grip as strong as steel.

"Do you really want that, Rin?" Archer asked, his husky whisper brushing against her ear, setting her body shivering. "Let me, and I will."

Not trusting her own voice, Rin nodded silently, unsure of anything but her trust in what he would chose to do.

"Then just remember this, Rin." Archer murmured as he leaned his face towards hers. "If you want me to stop at any time, simply say so."

Then the distance between them vanished as Archer's lips brushed her own, pulling her into a kiss as different from the desperate one they had shared that night as the sun was from the moon. Her heart pounding, Rin deepened it, mouth parting as his tongue teased hers. One calloused hand supported her shoulder, the other moving to cup her left breast through her nightgown.

"Your heart's racing." Archer noted as he broke the kiss, slipping his arm underneath her legs to lie her fully out on the bed. Smirking just a little, he leaned over her, sucking gently on her earlobe. "Good, but…"

"I'm going to make it race even more."

* * *

Tiredly, Rin leaned against her Servant under the sheets that covered them both, reveling in the warmth and strength that Archer radiated even at his least guarded. She closed her eyes, wanting to drift off to much-needed sleep, when Archer's hand, which had been lightly resting on her bottom, pinched her just hard enough to sting.

"Archerrrr..." Rin growled, sweet smile somehow scarier than the tone of her voice.

"Rin, we need to talk." Archer said as he shifted, resting on his elbow.

Rin frowned, curling her hands over her chest in unconscious defense.

"Right now? Can't it wait until morning?" At his impassively resolute expression, she sighed, lips twisting into a small, ironic smile. "Fine. I should have know for all your talk of heroism's stupidity, you'd still try to do the noble thing."

"The noble thing would have been to comfort you without taking you to bed." Archer snapped, voice tight. "Since we're kind of past that point, and I don't really feel like avoiding you for gods know how long, especially since we _live_ together, I thought it'd be better to talk things out."

Rin smiled sadly, lifting her hand to brush his face. "I'm sorry, Archer. I'm no good at this sort of thing...most mages aren't. I'm not used to having someone to rely on, or care how I feel. And I..." She hesitated before reluctantly continuing. "I didn't have the greatest role models for a healthy relationship to begin with. My mother didn't offer any protest when my father gave Sakura anyway, because she didn't view it as her place to do so. Her own child, and she did nothing. He wouldn't have listened to her even if she had."

Chastised, Archer reached down to stroke her hair. "Rin..."

Shaking a little, Rin let herself be pet. "Zenjo Aoi wasn't a magus, you know. She married him for love, and it took her to a place where she couldn't even plead for her child to be returned to her." She swallowed dryly before finishing. "I saw what it did to her, even at seven years old. And I swore I'd never let myself end up like that."

The silence was palpable before Rin broke it.

"But...I can't help myself. I like being with you, even though things would be easier if I didn't. So...I have a proposition for you."

Archer nearly choked on air in shock. "A _what_?"

"A proposition for an arrangement of sorts. Look, we're both consenting adults, and I feel better when you're with me." Rin's cheeks turned a shade of red only slightly fainter than her usual shirt, but she pressed on. "So, for the time being...stay by my side. I'm not asking for love or vows of eternal devotion...just to not feel so damn alone."

Archer blinked, desperately trying to collect himself, or at least not openly gape at her like an idiotic teenager. "You want to be friends with benefits?"

Rin gave him her best low-lidded stare. "That's kind of a crass way of putting it, but yes, basically. I won't advertise it to Sakura and the others, but I won't hide it either."

He narrowed his eyes at her, looking skeptical. "And you don't think this is something that won't blow up in your face?"

Rin shrugged, leaning towards him. "If it's a mistake, it's one I'm choosing to risk making for myself." She smiled slightly. "I'm not going to wake up tomorrow morning and pull the whole 'violated maiden' bit on you."

"..."

"Archer! You actually thought I'd do that?!?" Rin shrieked, sitting up and looking for something to hit him with.

"...Rin, if you want to make me regret thinking that, you'll have more success if I was less...distracted." Archer pointed out, eyes going dark with appreciation at the sight of her slim, pale body.

A pillow to the face was Rin's only response, but the force with which it was hurled made it a pretty effective one. It was a credit to her strength of will that she avoided giving in to the urge to hold it over his face until he suffocated. Instead, she scooted next to him, sitting in seiza position as rigidly as if she was conducting a tea ceremony.

"Well, Archer?"

Slowly, he tossed the pillow aside, a low laugh vibrating in his chest. "It's a little ridiculous to be so formal at this point, Rin."

She frowned at him, one hand reaching for the pillow again. "Archer..."

"Fine." Archer said evenly, holding out a hand. "As long as you're willing to, I'll stay with you."

Surprised, Rin raised her brows at him. "It's a nice gesture, but not really suited for this." She took the hand he offered, pulling him close enough to draw into a long, lingering kiss.

With a soft sigh, she parted from him, feeling settled for the first time in days. "There, now our arrangement is officially sealed..." Rin announced, voice trailing off when she look down past his waist. "A-already, Archer?"

He smirked at her before using the hand he still held as leverage to pull her down to the bed. "As my Master, you should be familiar with _all_ my skills," He rumbled, trailing kisses down her neck, "Including swift recovery."

"Mmm...Archer..."

"Rin..."  
--------------------------------

The golden sunlight filtering in the next morning, oddly bright for this time of year, woke Archer before anything else. He felt unusually regretful about this-he hadn't had such a nice dream in years. It was a shame he couldn't return to it.

Half-awake, Archer tried to stretch, only to become aware of the warm weight on his chest. Tohsaka Rin lay curled up against him, dark hair shimmering in the light. His movement caused her to shift a bit in her sleep, bare skin soft and warm.

Upon seeing her face, he hadn't stood a chance.

Pink lips curved in a content smile, cheeks lightly flushed, vibrant blue eyes closed, her thick lashes casting a tiny shadow on her face.

Archer looked at her, just looked at her, committing the vision before him to memory. Then, very, very quietly he swore.

He should have known better than to think Fate would cut him a damn break for once. Freed only to fall hard and fast for a girl who didn't want love-the situation was a first, but the bitter taste of irony wasn't.

_Freed..._

Maybe he could do something after all. Archer had been given a chance-wasting it by moping would be the height of idiocy. Carefully, he craned his neck to check the clock. He had a little over half an hour before Rin dragged herself, near catatonic, out of bed.

It wouldn't be easy, or quick. On a scale of difficulty, changing Tohsaka Rin's mind was nearly as high up as out-maneuvering the World herself. But if Archer was anything, it was patient and cunning. Gently as possible so as not to disturb her, Archer slid out of the bed, reaching for his clothes.

As he slipped them on, smoothing out the wrinkles, Rin made an unhappy noise in her sleep, moving towards her lost source of warmth before curling up into a ball.

Hope-_there_ was one he wasn't used to. Silently, Archer padded out of Rin's room, closing the door behind him before heading downstairs to the kitchen. He'd make Rin breakfast and tea...and plans for himself.

* * *

Three weeks later, the two of them stood in the Emiya courtyard, pulling down dry linens from the laundry poles. Shirou had taken with a slight fever, and though he insisted he was fine, he had bowed to Sakura's teary eyes and given in to bed rest. As Archer and Rin had been over anyway for dinner, something they had started doing frequently as things had settled down, Rin had volunteered their services to bring in the laundry before the sky made good on its threat of rain.

"That Shirou...he really should have been more careful." Rin sighed, neatly placing another crisply folded sheet in the basket. "I know he would have jumped in to save that kid no matter what, but hanging out in wet clothes for twenty minutes afterward in the middle of winter is just foolish."

"Much as I hate to defend him," Archer replied as he reached up for another sheet, "Part of it was the girl's parents wouldn't let him go without profuse thanks."

"I'm sure the knowledge he spared their feelings would have come as an immense comfort if he had contracted pneumonia instead of a simple cold." Rin said, still a little irritated. "Doesn't he understand more than just his health hinges on his own well being?"

"If he didn't then, he does now." The white haired man deadpanned as he smoothed out the last pillowcase. "After the talking to Rider gave him, I think it'll be weeks before he dare ventures out of the house without at least a flu mask."

Rin smirked at that before surveying the finished work with a pleased face. Seeing nothing left to do, she dropped the folded pillowcase on top of the basket that held the rest of the linens.

"Thank you for helping, Archer." Rin smiled, giving him a warm kiss. "It wouldn't have gone nearly as fast on my own."

Archer raised a brow before leaning down, intended to kiss her again, before the engawa door slid open and Rider, dressed in a grey turtleneck and jeans with her long hair tied back at the waist, stepped out. Smoothly, he moved away to a less intimate distance.

"Oh, you've already finished." The Servant noted, her masked gaze looking at the basket. "I'm sorry, I would have helped but Sakura needed me until just now."

"It's alright." Rin reassured her, before brightening up. "Actually, it's good you're out here-guess what finally came?" With a flourish, Rin reached into her coat pocket, holding out a small case to Rider.

The eirei reached out and held it carefully, hands shaking. "I-is this the..."

"Yes. The Sealing Glasses capable of blocking your Mystic Eyes." Rin confirmed. "You'll be able to leave the house without your Breaker Gorgon now." Excited, she nudged Rider. "Put them on and let's see how they look."

Looking nervous, Rider turned in the opposite direction, removing the blindfold that sealed her eyes. With great care, she slipped on the glasses, then turned back to face Archer and Rin.

In spite of herself, Rin blushed. "Rider, you're so beautiful!" Grinning, the dark-haired mage stepped forward for a better look, missing the tic in Archer's face even if Rider didn't.

"Ahh...thank you, Rin." Rider said, looking slightly embarrassed. "You've been an immense help. If I can do anything at all to repay you-"

"That won't be necessary, it's not like it was difficult or anything." Rin declared, waving her hand. "Besides, if you had to hang around here all the time, you'd die of boredom. Now you can actually go out into town."

"That's true." Rider agreed, smiling shyly. "I wanted to go to the library and get a borrowing card." Her pleasant smile took on a slightly nervous edge. "Actually, there was something I needed to talk to you about, so if you wouldn't mind going with me..."

Confused, Rin tilted her head. "What would that be?"

Rider blushed, wringing her hands together. "That's...that's..."

A surprised cry drew the attention of all three of them, automatically falling into defensive stances.

"SHIROUUUUUU----! WHO THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE?!?!? WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO WHILE NEE-SAN WAS AWAY?"

Fujimura Taiga was back. And she was _pissed_.

* * *

Author's Notes:  
I just looked back on my author's notes for _See The Love There That's Sleeping_, and how difficult I said it was to write.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

This freaking thing is twice as long, and took about four months longer to finish. But I think the result is worth it, and that it's much better than the previous chapter. This is due in LARGE part to **umbra elf**, the proverbial woman whose worth is greater than rubies. Seriously, the smut would have been much, much worse without her advice, and I owe her like whoa. Moving on...

Title is a play on the Fifth Magic, Kaleidoscope aka Alternate Realities, and considering this is Rin we're talking about here, it fits. Because this was so long, and I have an extremely cheesy sense of verbal humor, I divided it into A-side and B-side, like an vinyl record. XD Speaking of Magic, we saw alot more of it, so here's the rundown:

**Jeweled Sword Zelretch**: This is an artifact of the Fifth Magic (although the version Shirou traced was a copy of a copy. The original Jeweled Sword was powerful enough to keep the moon from falling into the Earth, after all.) that works by cutting a small tear in infinite alternate realities, then siphoning off mana from them in a concussive blast. Effect looks like a mini-Excalibur, but in effect you could use it infinitely, which is why it was such an effective tool against Dark Sakura with her near-infinite mana reserves. The jeweled part of the blade can also be detonated as a single-use explosive.

Rin can make another one of these over time, provided she has the money, which would imply that she won't need Shirou's help in making it. This important to take into consideration considering we'll be running into the Jeweled Sword's original creator later on...

**Dress of Heaven**: Materialization of the soul for several seconds. The heart that controls the Greater Grail. A pure white dress that is made from gold. Is fitted with 7 rings that are said to have control over creation/the souls of others. The 7 holes on the dress are the transformed rings and with each Servant soul absorbed, one hole is lit. As a person will be turned to gold if in contact with it, operation must be conducted by elementals/fairies, dwarves, or homunculus. This is part of the reason Ilya was made a homunculus, in addition to the fact she was meant to be the core of the Grail.

I couldn't elaborate on this much, but basically Ilya used the Dress to call Archer and Shirou back, and then transferred their souls into homunculus bodies. Afterwards, she sealed the Greater Grail shut, so no more Grail Wars will occur. I also wanted to mention her use of Archer's arm as a catalyst was how he was able to retain his memories, but I didn't get a chance to do that either. Also using Archer's arm meant his summoning was more "complete" than Shirou's-Archer has all his original circuits and can still use UBW, but Shirou has far less than he previously did.

And now the fun part-Character Analysis! -_cue sounds of people exiting the browser_-

**Archer:** He got the second chance Nasu and everyone else cruelly denied him, only to fall in love with a girl who doesn't want to have a romantic relationship. Isn't it sad, Archer? On the bright side, he is getting sex on a regular basis now. Not to mention more or less utilizing the strategy parts of his brain to change Rin's mind about the whole relationship thing...Rin isn't going to know what hit her. XD

And yes, they're shacking up together. Fuji-nee's gonna flip.

**Rin:** She's entered a relationship of sorts with Archer, but is frankly averse to falling in love. From what we've seen in Fate/Zero, the prequel to Fate/Stay Night, her parents' relationship was a very uneven one-Aoi was pretty much a doormat, and Tokiomi had all the power. I think that would have soured her on marriage and the like very early on, and since she's looked after herself for ten years, she's used to being alone. She'll gradually adjust, but it's going to take some doing. Good thing Archer can be really patient when he wants.

**Ilya:** Yep, she totally knew they did it. XD But in the end, she sacrificed her own existence so Archer and Shirou could live-because she wanted "Emiya Shirou" to live more than herself. At the end of Heaven's Feel route, Archer's mana was the only Servant's contained inside of her(since everyone else but Rider had been devoured by Dark Sakura), which lends another edge of plausibility to her calling him back.

**Shirou:** He's growing a pair! I'm so proud. -_tears up_- So yeah, he's toughened up some, and his temperament has become similar to Archer's in some ways. Additionally, there's going to be some fun stuff later on where we find out there's been a surprising little side-effect to having Archer's arm transplanted onto him for a time.

**Sakura:** She's gotten the happy ending she deserves, and I'm looking forward to making sure it stays that way. She's starting to get suspicious about her Nee-san and Archer, though. I've always liked Sakura, and it's going be fun writing her, especially as she gets bolder and Rin's personality starts rubbing off her.

**Rider:** Have I mentioned how much I adore Rider? Her level of loyalty alone is impressive, but I really like her personality a lot. Heh, she's going to play an amusing role in the next chapter, one that's been slightly hinted at the end of this one-needless to say, much embarrassment will be had by (nearly) all. Poor Rider's highly developed observational skills cause her so much anguish...

**Saber:** Devoured by the Shadow, killed off by Shirou and Rider, and made to quote Monty Python. I really do have a heart as black as pitch. But at least I didn't make her say "The Black Knight always triumphs!" which proves I do have a milligram of restraint after all.

**Fuji-nee:** Wants to know what the HELL she missed while she was away. She probably thinks Shirou's fallen into deviant ways. Kids these days, always having sex!


	5. No One Will Be Watching Us

**Title:** No One Will Be Watching Us  
**Rating:** PG-13 The not-worksafe Archer/Rin love version can be found at any of the places listed below.  
**Characters:** Archer x Rin  
**Word Count:** 12,354  
**Warning/s:** Heaven's Feel spoilers, less this time around though.  
**Summary:** But Rider was looking and didn't miss it.  
**Dedication:** For misheard, the loveliest waifu a girl could ever have to sweep off into the sunset on a white stallion named Starsong.sparkles  
**A/N:** Done for the 30lemons challenge theme #2. The Audience. More (really long-ass) notes to follow after the fic.

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

Cross-posted to fsn fiction, 30 lemons and my writing lj.

* * *

Rider sat calmly at the low dining table, not really affected by the tension in the air. It was easy to see the still-fuming Fujimura Taiga's anger was merely a byproduct of extreme concern for her young charge. Rider had confidence in the fake identities Rin had put together for herself and Archer, and the background that had been decided upon for them. Considering the mysterious kind of man Emiya Kiritsugu had been, two distant cousins coming to visit his adopted son for an unknown duration was fairly plausible. Even taking lack of resemblance into account…

At that last thought, Rider's gaze slid over to her 'cousin'. Archer looked composed enough, but the stiff set of his jaw and the slight furrowing of his eyebrows gave him away to the perceptive viewer. He actually looked...nervous, she decided. One of the things that would never change about "Emiya Shirou" was a tendency to be automatically cowed by Fujimura Taiga, even if he was doing a good job of hiding it.

The girl by his side may have had something to do with that. The way Rin's thigh occasionally brushed his was subtle, and the lessening of tension about him subtler still. But Rider was looking and didn't miss it.

That did worry her, far more than any concerned guardian raising a fuss. Rider valued the life she had now-peace, no men forcing themselves upon her, happiness for Sakura. Always Sakura.

But she knew how very fragile that happiness was. That sometimes, Sakura still woke in the dead of night crying, until Shirou soothed her back to sleep. It was slowly happening less frequently with the passage of time, but what she had seen happen between Sakura's sister and her Servant that night could easily smash the delicate peace Rider had fought so hard for.

Of course it really all hinged on Sakura's reaction, Rider mused to herself, listening to the teacher fiercely interrogate Shirou with half an ear. But she wasn't so sure it would be a positive one she was willing to tell her Master just yet.

It was pretty unbelievable to began with. Rider hadn't taken Archer or Rin to be the kind to have that kind of a relationship, but she couldn't deny what she had seen with her own eyes, three nights ago when the pair had last stayed over at the Emiya home...

* * *

_Three Nights Ago..._

Rider shut her copy of Pride and Prejudice with a pleased sigh. Reading was such a...pleasure for her, a respite from the world made from paper and ink.

The moon had been brilliant enough at the southern end of the house that Rider had read with simply its light for illumination. The brisk night air and the warmth of the sake she had been drinking on the engawa balanced nicely together. Absently, Rider downed the rest of her cup before lying lazily on her back, the upper half of her body falling into the hallway.

The panel door to the room Rin used whenever she and Archer spent the night was ajar. Frowning, Rider wondered if she should go over and shut it. It was then her eyes adjusted to the dimness, bringing the realization that Rin wasn't alone.

Mouth opening in shock, Rider watched mutely as Archer slowly untied the indigo-colored sash of Rin's sleeping yukata. The white robe slipped down her body to reveal completely bare skin so pale in contrast to the darkness of her Servant. The white-haired man bent his head down, pressing light kisses against her neck as his hands moved down Rin's naked back and freed her from the confines of the summer kimono, leaving it to pool on the tatami mats.

Only Rin's open response to Archer's touch kept Rider from releasing her Mystic Eyes and killing him where he stood. Rider hadn't been so lulled by peace she had forgotten Shinji, or ever would. But Rin looked...pleased, pleased and perfectly confident in her actions as she wrapped her arms around Archer's neck to nip his lip before drawing him in for a deep kiss.

Rider kept watching, unable to tear her masked gaze away. Rin urgently tugged at Archer's already-loosened navy-blue yukata, pressing biting kisses against toned bronze skin. He breathed in sharply, battle-calloused fingers tangling in long, sable locks before lifting her chin up for another kiss. As one, they drifted down to the futon, Archer's yukata falling aside in the process.

They moved fluidly together, partners in a dance of the oldest and most intimate sort. There was no hesitation or uncertainty in either of their actions, Archer teasing Rin's nipple with his tongue, Rin digging her nails into his back with a soft gasp and a rolling of her hips. It would only take the slightest glance out the door on either of their parts to see her, but they didn't seem to be aware of anything but each other.

Some unspoken signal passed between the pair when blue eyes met gray. The rustling of the sheets was the only sound in the room as Rin wrapped slender, toned legs around Archer's waist, color warming her face as he slowly entered her. Though Archer performed his actions with care, it didn't escape Rider's attention that Rin didn't seem surprised or unused to the sensation of being penetrated. Clearly, this was far from the first time they had been together.

Archer was still but for the hand gently brushing Rin's face, waiting for her to adjust herself. The look on his face as he held himself above her was gentler than Rider had ever seen coming from the abrasive Servant, yet there was more than a bit of what she could only describe as painful longing. And that confused Rider more than anything else she had witnessed tonight.

_What more could he possibly want?_

The sounds of coupling hung in the cool night air, moans and thrusts and whispered names. Rin's gasp at a deep thrust of Archer's hips, the hiss Archer let out when Rin's nails dug hard enough in his back to draw blood. They moved in perfect time with each other, his hard, steady thrusting only making her writhe more in need.

Entranced, Rider stared for what felt like a small eternity as sweaty bodies glided against each other, moving fast and firm until Rin rasped Archer's name, back arcing and body shuddering in release. The man followed her soon after, muffling her name with the desperate kiss he pressed against her collarbone. Both lay still for a long moment to catch their breath, before Archer carefully slid out of Rin. Gently, he pulled her into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Despite all this, there was still a...pained...tilt to Archer's mouth, one that Rider doubted he'd ever let anyone see willingly. Especially Rin.

There was some murmuring, too soft for Rider to catch before quiet filled the guestroom, both occupants apparently drifting off to sleep. With a moment's concentration, Rider went into her incorporeal form-the only means of completely avoiding senses as finely tuned as Archer's, now that he wasn't distracted.

As a ghost, she drifted through the walls until she reached her own quarters, curling up on the bed with confusion and worry twisting at her stomach. What was going on, exactly? For Sakura's sake, she had to find out.

* * *

"-so Archer-san and Rider-san are both distant cousins of Kiritsugu's visiting from Europe for a time, and they're staying with you." Taiga summarized, interrupting Rider's thoughts. The teacher looked calmer, but not totally appeased by any means. "I have to say, I don't see much resemblance."

"I'm adopted." Archer deadpanned, clearly over the bulk of his anxiety over meeting Taiga again. "Only Rider is staying here, though. I have lodgings elsewhere."

That was a mistake. Sensing weakness like a shark catching blood in the water, Taiga zoomed in on his last words. "Oh, where _are_ you staying, Archer-san? After all, Shirou has plenty of room here, even with Sakura-chan and Rider-san."

"I prefer having space to myself, so I'm more to the south of Fuyuki." Archer replied, his smooth tone almost hiding the tension in his jaw.

"Ah, staying around the southern part of Miyama-chou?" Taiga continued relentlessly. "Why, Tohsaka-san lives...there...too..." Rider could practically see the woman's eyes flare up as she went in for the kill. "You seemed to be acting awfully informal with her when I got here." Her smile grew large and it had to be said, _tiger_-like, as she turned the full force of her stare on both Archer and Rin. "Well, Tohsaka-san? Is Archer-san staying with you?"

Caught off guard, Rin gave a start. "Well…yes, but there were unusual circumsta-"

Taiga practically glowed with her righteous aura as she pounded her fist on the dining table. "Tohsaka-san! As your teacher and a concerned adult, I can't allow this! There aren't any circumstances in which it's appropriate for a seventeen year old girl to live alone with a older man she isn't related to! You wouldn't want to risk anything inappropriate happening, would you?"

_"It's **way** too late for that,"_ Four people thought simultaneously.

"Fujimura-sensei, I appreciate your concern," Rin began weakly, looking uncharacteristically flustered. If Rider hadn't known what was happening between Master and Servant, she would have found Rin's lack of an assured response surprising. "But really, it's fine."

"How can it be fine? What sort of circumstances lead to such a situation? The logical thing would be for Archer-san to stay with Shirou, since they're related and he has the space." Taiga whirled on Archer, leaving Rin to scramble for a believable response. "And you, Archer-san! Surely you know how suspicious such a thing looks?"

Seeing the two quickest thinkers of their group incapacitated, Rider held her hands together nervously. Something had to be done, and fast. They simply couldn't afford to be noticed, not so soon after the near-cataclysmic events of Heaven's Feel. All someone needed to do would be to connect the recent arrival of two complete strangers to the Fuyuki area with the disappearances caused by the Shadow to bring disaster upon them all.

She'd just have to hope Archer and Rin would remember that as well after what she was about to pull.

"I see there is no hiding this from you, Fujimura-san." Rider spoke up, drawing the attention of the entire room. Immensely uncomfortable with the scrutiny, the lavender-haired eirei forced herself to press on. It was, after all, for Sakura. "...The truth is, ten years ago a contract agreement was made between the Emiya and Tohsaka families. That agreement was the main reason my cousin and I were _summoned_ to Fuyuki," Quickly, Rider cast a glance Archer's way, praying he'd catch her meaning and lose that utterly terrifying expression he was currently sporting, "But Rin is still in high school, so we were trying to keep the matter private..."

Silence heavier than lead filled the room as Taiga pondered this information with a serious face. Rider tried to take comfort in the fact that nothing she said was untrue-even if there was a huge difference between the Emiya and Tohsaka participation in the last two Grail Wars, and the conclusion she was hoping Taiga would make on her own. Beside her, Sakura and Shirou wore identical looks of shocked confusion, while Archer and Rin were united in their clear desire to get Rider's reasoning from her with a healthy side of violence.

Abruptly, Taiga nodded, beaming as she tapped her fist onto her open palm. "Ah, I see, I see! Why, Tohsaka-san, you should have been clearer in the first place." The teacher chirped, laughing lightheartedly as she added, "It's okay if you're engaged, after all! I know Archer-san's a bit older than you, but it's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Engaged?" Rin echoed, going red with what Taiga took to be a blush of maidenly modesty, and what everyone else knew to be a combination of seething rage and embarrassment.

"Yes, it all makes sense when you think about it!" Taiga said brightly. "You were being so vague about it because you value your privacy. Why, this even explains why you rejected all those boys at school! I _thought_ that was awfully mysterious, since Tohsaka-san's a healthy girl, and so popular."

"W-what? I only met Archer a month ago!" Rin stammered, redness deepening. "Anyway, whatever agreements my family made, I'm still too young to be thinking about getting married."

Taiga nodded in a sage manner that was detracted in effect some by her cheery grin. "Well, you never know what the future holds, Tohsaka-san." She turned to Archer, whose expression could have been carved from stone for all its mobility. "Ah, Archer-san, you should still be careful, though! You should at least wait until Tohsaka-san graduates."

Archer choked quietly, his composure cracking like glass. The teacher frowned in thought, studying him thoroughly. "I mean, I suppose you two could get married now, since Tohsaka-san's old enough, but waiting until she's finished her schooling would be in better taste." Taiga's frown deepened as she added, "You know, Archer-san, now that I take a look at you…you're very familiar to me. Have you been to Fuyuki before?"

The white-haired man froze as his eyes widened slightly, before hastily replying. "Ah...yes. Many, many years ago. But it's been a long time since then."

"Hmmm?" Taiga drawled, eyeing Archer closely until a sunny smile broke out on her face. "Welcome back, then."

A small but sincere smile made its way across Archer's face before disappearing as quickly as it came. "Thank you. It's good to be back." To Rider's surprise, he actually looked like he meant it.

Tension gone, the participants of the Fifth Grail War gave mental sighs of relief as one...until a sudden grumbling noise made itself known.

Fujimura Taiga blushed, scratching her head in embarrassment.

"Ano, Shirou...how about dinner?"

* * *

It was in an extremely puzzled state of mind Rin stood at the steps leading up to the Emiya home the next afternoon. After the delicious meal Archer had cooked since Shirou was still a bit ill, Rider had come up to the young magus while she was alone. With some hesitance, she had requested her company for going to the local library. There had been an urgency about the eirei that Rin didn't normally associate with book-borrowing, so clearly _something_ more was going on.

That worried her. Rider wouldn't have gone through such effort for something unimportant. At least the fact she had felt it could wait until the next day meant that it wasn't an emergency.

The sound of someone heading down the steps shook Rin out of her thoughts. With her usual grace, Rider stepped next to Rin.

"Shall we go, Rin?" Rider asked, giving the younger woman a small smile. Rin smiled back, but didn't miss the nervous flicker in Rider's exotic eyes.

"Sure. It's not a long walk from here, and compared to the past few days it's really nice out."

That flicker showed once more in Rider's eyes, but Rin let it pass without comment, the journey to Fuyuki's stately library all but silent. Once the two women arrived, the awkwardness dissipated briefly as Rider looked around the fine old building with the air of someone experiencing a religious epiphany. The anxiety in her expression melted into pure bliss, and it was all Rin could do to keep her still long enough to get her a library card. Once the slim piece of plastic had been placed in Rider's hand, the lavender-haired eirei drifted away to the stacks, aware only of the books. Within minutes, she had a neat pile of eight already stacked up on a nearby table.

_Well, she's finally relaxed some._ Rin thought, bemused. _I just wish it would last._

Unnoticed by either woman, the air above the book pile wavered and tore like a heat-induced mirage, so quickly that even one looking for it might have missed it.

Eight books became nine. The tear sealed up once more.

* * *

"Next time we'll have to bring a cart." Rin commented as she and Rider walked through Fuyuki's shopping district. Rider nodded in agreement, her own incredible strength being the only thing to keep her from staggering while carrying the box full of books. "Will you even be able to read all of those in just two weeks?"

"Without a doubt." Rider said confidently, before flushing slightly. "Besides, I've already read all the books Shirou has."

"Well, he's more of a hands on type of guy, so I don't think he had too many in the first place." Rin smirked, her face growing serious a moment later. "Anyway Rider, as diverting as going to the library with you was I know you asked me to come for more than just that."

Rider studied the discreet 'Help Wanted' sign in the antique store window with all the focus and concentration of a theologian presented with the Dead Sea Scrolls for the first time. The effort she put into avoiding Rin's gaze was truly incredible.

"Rider..." Rin enunciated, deceptively sweet voice not doing much to conceal her growing ire.

With cheeks burning red Rider slowly turned to face Rin, looking immensely embarrassed.

"May...may we go to a cafe for this, Rin? On the street isn't quite the place to discuss a private matter."

Ten minutes later, the pair were seated in a quiet corner of a small cafe. Idly, Rin stirred her cup of black tea as she studied Rider, who looked like she'd rather be anywhere but with her. Exhaling deeply, the eirei steeled herself up for whatever she was so reluctant to talk to Rin about, taking a quick sip of her iced coffee before beginning.

"These past few weeks owe most of their ease to you, Rin. Without your efforts, Archer and I would have had a much more difficult time assimilating into modern society, especially considering how important proper documentation is these days."

Rin wordlessly added a bit more cream to her tea, waiting for Rider to get to the heart of the matter. At least now she was certain it wasn't something dangerous. Definitely embarrassing, though. Why else would Rider find it so difficult to be straightforward? Just whatever the cause happened to be, something that Rider found pressing enough to overcome her own shyness to talk to Rin about, was worrying.

Rider anxiously downed more of her drink, continuing. "Although I suppose coming from this era himself Archer would naturally acclimate far more easily than myself." Her calm voice grew subtly more pointed. "He looks like he's doing very well with the unexpected turn his life has taken."

The sable-haired girl shrugged, bringing her cup to her lips and sipping her beverage. "Archer's adaptability is one of his greatest strengths. I'm not surprised that it was a smooth transition. It helped that he wasn't resistant to his new existence." Rin set her cup down, evenly meeting Rider's penetrating gaze.

"Yes." Rider noted softly. "I do not know him well, but it is not difficult to tell how independent Archer is; that if he does not agree with something he will rebel against it with all his might." The eirei tilted her head slightly, expression serious. "Although you seem to have the ability to circumvent that. He is...not good at saying no to you."

Rin didn't so much as bat a lash. "Your point being?"

Rider's face was as stoic as Rin's, and about as stiff. The Heroic Spirit's own determination made all the difference between them. "That four nights ago, I accidentally saw Archer being very good at acceding to your wishes indeed."

Raising her tea once more, Rin dampened a throat gone suddenly dry. With more care than usual, she returned the cup to the saucer. "And how much did you see, Rider?"

The eirei flushed, some of her self-control vanishing if not her will. "I assure you, I did not set out to look. Take more care when closing your door, Rin." Rider bit her lip, frowning. "If you two are lovers, you shouldn't hide it from Sakura."

Rin relaxed a bit, seeing why Rider had taken it upon herself to confront her. The magus really should have known. Always for Sakura's sake, first and foremost. "Archer and I aren't lovers. We're just friends with an...arrangement."

Rider coughed as some iced coffee went down her throat the wrong way, wiping her mouth with her napkin. "Friends with a what?"

"An arrangement. Look, it was my idea, not his." Despite her best efforts, a hint of red rose to Rin's cheeks. "I...I was having trouble, and Archer made me feel better. So I offered that we'd continue for the time being, and he agreed."

"...'He agreed'? Just like that?" Rider repeated.

"Well, yes...wait a second." Rin said, eyes narrowing. "How much did you see, anyway?"

"...That doesn't really matter." Rider replied, flinching from Rin's glare. "What does is what sort of impact this will have on Sakura. You know I wouldn't have called you on for anything less."

"You saw everything, didn't you?" Anger clamped down some, Rin leaned back against her seat as she let out a sigh. "Look, Rider...we both love Sakura. I'd never do anything to hurt her, ever."

"At least, not on purpose." Rider quietly responded, words stinging worse than any physical blow. "You don't think meaningless sex with Archer won't bother her?"

Rin flinched. "I deserved that. But you're wrong. If all I wanted was sex, I'd just find some stranger and go to a love hotel. Archer makes me feel like I'm not so...alone." She frowned a little, refilling her cup just to do something with her hands. "Not that I couldn't give it up any time I liked."

To her annoyance, a tiny smirk rose on Rider's face. "Of course."

"You don't believe me." Rin scowled, heat rushing to her face.

The fallen Divine Spirit didn't blink, slim fingers toying with her straw. "Well, you did look like you were really enjoying yourself. Or rather, you were really enjoying Archer."

Rin gaped as she was thrown by the unusually off-color comment, Rider continuing with an arch look. "I doubt you'd keep going back to him if he was unskilled. Given how the floorboards creak so much more at night whenever you two are over, he obviously isn't lacking in the bedroom."

"You've...you've heard us before?" Rin asked, redness intensifying.

"I thought it was simply the age of the house rather than an external cause." Rider shrugged. "Given Archer's rather...acerbic attitude, it never even crossed my mind that you two were the cause."

Rin frowned, her anger rising. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"When you think of people to go to for comfort, Archer doesn't exactly top the list." Rider responded, slightly taken aback by Rin's reaction. "And in my experience, men with his type of personality aren't always considerate-"

"Don't ever say that about him again." Rin cut in frostily, blue eyes cold as ice. "Archer's never done anything to me I didn't ask him to do." A distinctly satisfied, feminine smile curved her lips. "As for consideration...let's just say he's extremely good at seeing to my needs."

The flustered look that flashed across Rider's face before her mask of composure returned was almost worth the awkwardness of the past few minutes. Seeing an opening, Rin struck mercilessly.

"Actually, since you did bring it up, Archer does this _amazing_ thing with his-"

"That's something you can keep between the two of you." Rider interjected hastily, a little red in spite of her calm. The lavender-haired eirei quickly breathed in and out to center herself before giving Rin a serious look. "Rin, what you do and who you do it with is your business, but…there's really nothing there? You don't have feelings for Archer beyond the purely physical?"

"I understand your concern, Rider, but I told you the truth. Archer and I are simply friends…well, there really isn't a good word to describe our relationship. Partners, maybe. He's someone I rely on and trust before anyone else, and I'd like to think it's the same for him. But we aren't lovers in a romantic sense, and that's for the best. I wouldn't be any good at it, and he deserves better than that." Rin slowly answered, brushing off Rider's doubting look.

"If you say so, Rin." Rider said after a long pause, downing the rest of her coffee. "But you do owe it to Sakura to give her some idea of what's going on. She has that right, but more to the point if she happens to see you two, she won't think Archer is taking liberties."

"I will." Rin promised, digging out a few bills for the check as both women stood up, Rider easily lifting her heavy box of books. "Just give me a little time to think of a good way to tell her. Going up to her and saying 'Hey Sakura, Archer and I are having sex, and it's really good and he isn't forcing me or anything!' kind of lacks something in subtlety and tact."

Rider coughed violently in response, one of her books falling from the box to the sidewalk with the force. "Definitely not."

"It does have the virtue of being completely unmistakable." Chuckling a little, Rin bent down to pick the dropped tome up, idly studying the spine as she put it back in the box. "_Bunraku: A Japanese Performing Tradition_? You certainly have eclectic interests, Rider. I never took you for having interest in puppetry."

"Actually, I'm not sure how that one got there." Rider commented, blinking in confusion. "I must have grabbed it by accident."

The magus didn't respond as her eyes stared directly at the book, her focus clearly somewhere else.

"Rin? Is everything alright?" Rider asked hesitantly. The younger women started a bit as she snapped back to the present.

"It's…it's nothing." Rin replied, still frowning a bit in contemplation. "For a second, I just thought I felt something strange." Breathing slowly out, Rin smiled at Rider. "Let's go back to Shirou's house. I'm going to need to get started on dinner soon anyway."

"Certainly. I too have things I must do tonight." Rider said, with a look Rin would have taken more note of had she not been so distracted. At least a certain someone wouldn't have been so annoyed later if she had.

* * *

Archer's eyes flew open as he woke from the dream, his skin on fire and heart racing. He wasn't too sure what the hell had just happened, at least other than _creamyfleshpinklipswarmthsoftnessSaberRinRinRinRin**Rin**_, but someone was behind it. Someone who'd be lucky to escape with their life and any of their limbs once he got a hold of them-

"Ah, you're awake." Rin's voice sounded by his ear as she nibbled delicately on his earlobe, her soft breasts pressed firmly against his bare back where she lay draped against him. "Your thrashing woke me up, so I was worried for a minute." Cool, slim fingers danced down his abdomen, sliding into his pants to teasingly caress his hardness. "But between _this_ and your moaning...it must have been quite a nice dream. So I thought it'd be quite mean to wake you up."

She squeezed gently, eliciting a hiss from him, while she glanced at her bedside clock. "A little past five...that's more than enough time." Her tone took on a distinctly mischievous tone as her hand started to move faster. "You see, Archer, even though dreams can be amazing...reality has certain advantages, hmm?"

His breathing picking up, all Archer could do was nod in agreement and throw himself upon Rin's tender mercy. Investigation- and bloody revenge by extension-could wait until she had gone off to school.

* * *

In terms of investigation, Master and Servant had differing degrees of luck. But then again, Archer had a fairly good idea of the dream-culprit from the beginning, while Rin was flying blind in her research on replacement bodies. That he'd figured out the true identity of the dream Saber while Rin had hit a block in her studies was unsurprising.

But knowledge and the ability to actually act on that knowledge were two different things.

Archer _knew_ Rider was responsible. Very few people were even aware of his continued existence in this world, and only two of them had the skills to perform such a level of dream manipulation magecraft.

No, even Rin could probably not manage as flawless an illusion as the one that had been worked upon his subconscious last night. Which left Rider by default.

Which in turn begged the question why she would even do such a thing in the first place. Archer really had no idea why the lavender-haired Servant would give him a dream that would be any man's fantasy come to life, giving attention to two beautiful girls. He doubted it was a random act of kindness-they weren't on that friendly terms.

His presence at the Emiya home gave him ample time to observe Rider, at least. The rain of two nights ago had damaged the roof enough to require repair-and as Emiya was still weak from his cold, the task of restoration had fallen upon Archer's shoulders.

The hole was easy enough to fix. Less simple was reading anything in Rider's actions or face. She had been with him the entire time providing assistance, yet he had been unable to detect anything out of the ordinary in her behavior other than a slightly more watchful than usual expression. Sighing irately as he hammered the last nail into place, Archer fingered the tiny bite marks on his neck that he had only noticed after Rin had left for school.

"Do you need something else, Archer?" Rider called up from the courtyard, composed as always.

Archer was silent as he placed the hammer back in the toolbox, leaping down from the roof to land in front of the eirei. He didn't bother to hide the tense aggression of his stance as he met her strange eyes without flinching.

"Yes, I do. I want to know what the hell you were thinking when you gave me that dream last night. Don't bother denying it was you. You're the only person around here who could even do something that intricate."

Rider didn't so much as blink as she met his stare in turn, her poise not lessening in the slightest. "Shouldn't why I did it be obvious to you?"

His spine stiffened at that, a muscle clenching in his jaw. "No, it isn't obvious. What you did would have to make sense for that to happen."

The lavender-haired Servant actually looked surprised, her eyes widening behind wire frames as she started slightly. "Rin didn't-"

"I don't really care about why you did it, Rider." Archer interrupted, glaring at her unreservedly. "But mind your own damn business, and stay out of my head...and Rin's. Or the next time you try it, our confrontation won't be limited to talking."

To his irritation, Rider didn't look the least bit wary. If anything, she looked...amused. "There's no need for that, Archer. I've gotten what I wanted now." With a fluid movement, she picked up the toolbox and headed towards the house. The sounds of Shirou and the others returning from school could be heard even from outside, and in spite of himself his black mood lifted slightly just hearing Rin speaking light-heartedly to Sakura.

Then her words hit him.

"Wait...what did _you_ get out of that, Rider?"

* * *

The sounds of cutlery and clinking dishware filled the room as they all ate dinner, exquisitely prepared by Sakura. It was a testament to her skill in the kitchen that even simple dishes like niku-jaga were flavorful and delicious. Despite her best efforts to restrain herself, Rin was already on her second helping of the simmered beef and potato dish...and a few more pieces of vegetable tempura...and another bowl of shiro-miso...

Damn, that's another thirty minutes of kata for me. Why do I have to know so many people who cook well? Mm...but I can't say it isn't worth it... Rin thought, popping a piece of eggplant tempura in her mouth to let the complex, deep flavor dance across her tongue.

"Sakura-chan, seconds please!" Taiga sang out, holding out her tiger-mascot decorated bowl cheerfully. Smiling, Sakura expertly ladled more miso soup into it before passing it back to the teacher who began to make quick work of the dish.

"Shouldn't that be 'fifths please', Fuji-nee?" Shirou quipped, setting his chopsticks down as he finished his own serving. He clapped his hands together and bowed his head before smiling at Sakura tenderly. "Thanks for the meal, Sakura. You've really outdone yourself."

The violet-haired girl blushed, smoothing her skirt out modestly. "You're welcome, sempai. Besides, Archer-san did such a wonderful job with dinner the other night that I'm honor bound to do my best too."

Rin's eyes flicked to where Archer sat beside her, leisurely sipping his green tea as he had already eaten his fill. "Hn. Coq au vin isn't something to be that impressed over. Most French dishes look harder to cook than they actually are."

"Ah, but it was really delicious, Archer-san." Taiga said, pouring herself some more tea before finishing off the last of her rice. "I never thought I'd meet a man who could cook even better than Shirou."

Rider cleared her throat, hastily reaching for the rice paddle. "Give me your bowl and I'll give you more, Taiga-san."

Distracted from her previous thought, Taiga beamed happily as she was handed her sixth bowl of steamed rice. "Thank you, Rider-san." She began to eat appreciatively, chopsticks nimbly gathering the sticky grains of rice. The bowl was empty again soon enough, making a hollow ceramic clink as Taiga set it back down. The teacher quietly rested her chin in her hand as she gazed at the rest of the table with an unusually contemplative expression.

"Fujimura-sensei?" Rin said, setting her chopsticks on their rest as a physical vow not to eat more. "You look quite serious."

"Mmm...I was just thinking how much better the food tastes with lots of people at the table. It's only been a short time, but it already feels right to be taking meals with Tohsaka-san and the others." Taiga mused, smiling nostalgically. "It's just a shame Saber-chan and Ilya couldn't be here too-"

With a loud cracking noise the empty teapot shattered on the floor, Sakura's shaking hands hovering over the broken pieces. "I-I'm sorry, sempai...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-I'm sorry-"

Gently, Shirou clasped Sakura's smaller hands in his own, holding tight. "It's alright, Sakura. Everything is fine."

Shirou's simple assurances did more than anything else could have, a bit of color returning to Sakura's white face. The red-head carefully studied her hands, frowning at the small cut on her finger. "Let's go put a bandage on that."

He helped Sakura up, the two going to the where the first aid kit was kept. There was an awkward silence as Archer gathered the broken shards together to toss them in the wastebasket.

"I guess Sakura-chan is still sensitive about Matou-kun's disappearance." Taiga said, for once aware of the emotional undercurrent even if the source was wrong. "She wouldn't react like that normally." Her brown eyes widened as she sat straight up. "Ilya and Saber-chan didn't disappear too, did they?"

"No." Archer answered stoically. "They had to return to where they came from."

"Oh, I see." Taiga sighed, her stance relaxing. "I'm sorry it had to be so soon. I think we all could have had lots of fun together. Saber-chan always looks so serious, it'd be nice to see her smile."

Archer went oddly quiet, eyes hazy with memories. Throwing away the last shard, he straightened to turn to Taiga.

"Saber only had a short time here, but...even if her face didn't show it, she found her days enjoyable." He slowly said, expression distant. "So in a way, she was smiling."

"Ehh? Archer-san, do you know Saber-chan?" Taiga asked, eyes wide.

Archer sat down easily, finishing his tea before answering her. "A long time ago, and only for a short time. It wasn't even until recently that I saw her again, but she hadn't changed."

"Hmm." The teacher said, looking reflective. "It sounds like you know her well even if you weren't acquainted for long."

"Not as well as I believed." Archer responded after a long pause, his expression pained enough that even Taiga noticed. The tension was palpable, drawn and tightly wound as a strung violin. Unable to take it anymore, Rin began to gather the dirty dishes, stacking them in neat piles to take back to the kitchen.

"With her finger cut, it'll probably hurt to wash the dishes. Besides, Sakura cooked dinner so it's not fair for her to clean up too." Rin said, standing with as many dishes she could securely carry. To her relief, Archer followed her lead to take what she could not and clear the rest of the table.

"That's right, that's right." Taiga replied, making an approving nod. "Tohsaka-san, you're a good girl after all."

"Hey, what do you mean 'after all', Fujimura-sensei?" Rin asked, smiling only in the sense that her mouth was turned up and her teeth were showing. "As an educator, please elaborate for me."

Taiga grinned brightly, tiny beads of nervous sweat gathering at her forehead. "Why don't I wipe down the table while you two are washing the dishes?"

"Oh no, Fujimura-sensei, I simply have to hear your answer first-"

"Cleaning--cleaning--! Making surfaces shine!"

"Sensei!"

* * *

Archer and Rin slowly walked back to the Tohsaka manor, the streets deserted despite it still being relatively early in the evening. It seemed it would take more than a mere month for Fuyuki to forget the mass disappearances caused by the Shadow under Zouken's orders. Keenly aware of this as she was, there was something bothering Rin more.

Even if it was something she shouldn't be bothered by. It wasn't like she and Archer were really involved, or that his past was any of her business. But still, it clouded her thoughts until she could hold back no longer.

"Archer, earlier tonight..." Rin started, hesitating as he glanced down at her.

"What of it, Rin?"

Flushing, she looked away from him. "When you were talking about Saber. You sounded like you were..." Rin stopped, fumbling for the right word. "Really fond of her."

"I loved her." Archer said, voice calm and straightforward. Rin swallowed, clenching her hands tightly on the handle of her book bag. "Or at least I thought I did."

A long time ago. So long even he would never really be sure just how much time had passed since then. It was a chance meeting, a few seconds long at the most.

A memory he had cherished even in the deepest level of a hell littered with corpses and blood.

_Silver armor._

_Jewel-like green eyes._

_Golden hair shining in the moonlight._

_"I ask of you, are you my Master?"_

The meaning had changed as he had changed. But even now, that moment was something he would hold in the depths of his heart.

Archer shook himself out of his memories, not ignorant of the death-grip Rin had on her bag. "But it was more like I loved what she stood for more than Saber herself. To me...she was everything I had ever dreamed of being. Someone who helped others. Justice incarnate. A _hero_." He laughed humorlessly, running his hand through his hair as he looked up at a moon eerily similar to the one of his memories.

"And I adored that. I was so blinded by it I didn't see its flaws until it was too late. In that respect I had done her the same disservice as her subjects, seeing her more as a thing than a person. But that came too late as well. My feelings for her got as twisted around as my feelings about my ideals simply because the two were incontrovertibly entwined. Saber didn't set me on my path, but all she was only strengthened my resolve and that's why I grew to resent her for it." Archer fell silent as they kept walking together, until the feeling of soft skin against his hand startled him into looking down. To his surprise, Rin held his hand in her own despite her red face. She squeezed it gently before letting go after a second's hesitation, much to his regret.

"I'm sorry, Archer. That reality didn't live up to your dreams."

"It didn't, but I brought most of it on myself for being a naive moron. My ideal was flawed from the start because it forgot to take into account that people are flawed too. When all you see is the ugliest side of humanity over and over again, it can warp a saint."

By now they had reached the gate of her home, Archer automatically reaching for the set of keys he had been given upon moving in to unlock it for her. They walked up the brick path to the solid oak of the front door, Rin unlocking it herself. Pulling out her key, her slender hand rested on the doorknob. Even in the shadows, he could see her face had an expression of deep thought upon it.

"Archer." Rin finally said, tilting her head to look up at him. "The reality was flawed, and your means were flawed too. But I believe you had something right. I think your desire to save people from suffering is still beautiful." Without another word she opened the door, leaving him to stare at her retreating back.

Letting out a long breath, Archer closed the door. Just when he thought he had Rin figured out, she'd hit him with another surprise. He supposed he deserved nothing less for underestimating her like that. Distantly, he heard the sound of Rin climbing the stairs, opening and closing the door to her room to change out of her uniform.

"Maybe is it beautiful in that way, Rin. But I'd forsake it in a second for you." Archer murmured to himself, warmed by her words as much as he was pained by the fact he knew she couldn't hear his own.

* * *

The stately clock in the manor hallway sounded midnight, but the lights in Rin's library burned bright as ever.

And to no reward. Her head throbbing gently but persistently, Rin looked at the research scattered across the dark wood table with bleary eyes. A mishmash of rough notes, old tomes from the library, and more recent essays from the brightest minds at the Clock Tower in England, it all lay before her as a testament to her own failure. Her own personal ruins of Ozymandias, constantly taunting her as a hurdle she had yet to surpass despite her belief she could do so.

"'Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair', indeed." Rin quoted in frustration, rubbing her sore neck. Sighing, Rin reached for what was currently the most useful of the texts at her disposal. _De Alchimia opuscula complura veterum philosopher_ read the weathered gold text against the faded green leather of the cover. Though there was no actual date on the book, Rin guessed it to be at least five hundred years old, judging from the style of binding and the late Gothic woodcut prints. Translated from the original Latin, the book had several secrets of the founding principles of alchemy within its fragile pages...including the manufacture of homunculi.

The greatest surprise of all was that the book wasn't actually hers. Shirou, of all people, had lent it to her. What a valuable magical text that could only be the property of the Einzberns was doing with Emiya Kiritsugu's things was a mystery, but one she didn't have time to parse out now. It had proven to be invaluable, and that was what truly mattered.

Even as a means to tell her that making a homunculi body that naturally aged was beyond her capabilities and resources. Such a task would be difficult for even masters of the Alchemic arts like the Einzberns, and Rin wasn't an expert in the field. Feeling the sheer hopelessness of the situation, Rin began to carefully leaf through the book for what felt like the millionth time on the off-chance she had simply missed something helpful, even something as small as a single word.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Rin leaned back in her chair, feeling her head ache. She was well on her way to a full-blown migraine when a rustling noise forced her eyes open. A single folded piece of paper was drifting down to the floor, evidently jostled loose from the text. Panicking at the thought of damaging such a valuable book inadvertently, Rin made a grab for it. Catching the paper which upon touch proved not nearly as old as the grimoire itself, Rin calmed down.

Curiosity roused, Rin studied it. It was quite thin, folded into a neat square. For her not to have noticed it before, it must have been tucked into the De Alchimia quite perfectly. She unfolded it with care, revealing a sketch of a woman done in charcoal.

"Ilya...?" Rin asked herself, surprised for a second before she noted the woman in the drawing looked older than the petite Master of Berserker. About her mid-twenties, and with far longer hair and bangs similar to Rider's. But still, the resemblance was uncanny. She could tell just by looking whoever drew the woman was untrained as an artist, but still...there was a great feeling of love for the subject. And at the same time, regret.

There was no title, no signature on the piece. Nothing but a woman with a beautiful smile. Rin gazed at it for a second longer before refolding it and placing the drawing back in the book. Somehow, it felt too much like violating the sanctity of the dead to look at it.

The large, warm hand suddenly on her shoulder cleared the musings from her mind.

"You're still at it?" Archer asked, already dressed for bed as his jaw tightened in disapproval.

"This is too important to stop just because it's late-" Rin began, telling herself her heart was only beating like that because he had startled her.

"Rin, you look exhausted." He said, tilting her chin up to study her face. "You won't get anywhere like that."

She wasn't blushing, really. Not even a little. "But..."

"If you haven't gotten it by now, I doubt a solution will come in the next hour or so." Archer pointed out, letting her go. "And you'll be more productive for the rest, mental and physical."

Automatically Rin covered her mouth as a tiny yawn escaped her, blush reddening at his knowing smirk. "Fine, fine, you win."

"It had to happen sometime." Archer said, tone a perfect deadpan. He watched her lethargic movements for a minute before lifting her into his arms and walking out of the library.

"H-hey, I'm going Archer! You don't need to carry me." Rin said, voice rising in half-hearted protest.

"I know, but it was just too sad to watch you struggle to move. Anyway, I was afraid if I left you to your own devices you'd fall asleep on the stairs."

Rin scowled slightly, resting her head against his shoulder as he mounted the stairs leading to her bedroom. As if his pointing it out had released her exhaustion in one great flood, she could already feel herself shutting down. "That was only one time." But really, she was too drowsy to get her temper worked up...and Archer was so nice and warm...

Hazily, she watched Archer open the door to deposit her gently on the bed. Slowly, Rin pulled aside the sheets to settle herself comfortably on the bed. Not a moment too soon, she was practically asleep on her feet as it was.

Archer covered her completely, tucking her in with his usual precision. Task finished, he turned his back to make his way out of the room.

"Hey...Archer..." Rin said, voice barely above a sleepy whisper. "When are you coming to bed?"

He froze in shock, feeling his heart twist in his chest. While he had certainly spent the night in her bed before, it had never been without having sex beforehand. For her to ask him to stay..."What do mean, Rin?"

"It means what it means." Rin yawned again, stretching herself out. "I...can't sleep when...you aren't there."

His heart twisted once more before he nodded, reaching to turn the light off before sliding in next to her. She moved to spoon against him, her back to his chest. "I'm right here, Rin."

"...Better..." Rin murmured, a satisfied smile crossing her face before she slipped fully into sleep. Sighing, Archer kissed the back of her neck, breathing in the scent of her skin before giving into sleep himself.

* * *

The next morning found Rin in the library once more. As usual, Archer had woken up before her and taken the liberty of tidying her mess. Why this irritated her when he had done such a good job was strange, but...

No, it wasn't strange. Rin hadn't intended to keep on depending on Archer like that, but once more she had left him to take care of things. Annoyed, she shook her head as she skimmed the shelves of her library aimlessly. Ending things with him would be that much harder if he kept taking care of her so much. After all, this thing between them wasn't meant to last.

...Right?

Rin made an aggravated noise, ignoring the churning feeling in her stomach at the thought of not having Archer around any more. She turned her focus on the stacks, not really looking for anything in particular.

One of the spines caught her eye. Mildly surprised, Rin pulled out the copy of _Bunraku: A Japanese Performing Tradition_ to study it. Even taking into account the generous size of the library, seeing it in her home was unexpected considering puppetry wasn't a subject of interest to anyone in her family. The edition she held was a later one than the version Rider had mysteriously acquired, but something more than that tugged at her brain for attention. Just what she wasn't sure, but the instincts that had seen her through the hardest Holy Grail War of them all were definitely nudging her consciousness.

The book was important, somehow. The one Rider borrowed hadn't gotten there on its own, that much was obvious. It was a hint to the problem of replacement bodies for Archer and Shirou. Logically, the best means of divining that hint lay between comparing her copy of the book to the one the Servant possessed. Which only left one problem beyond finding the hint itself.

Just who was trying to help her?

It seemed unlikely, but it could possibly be...

_A approving smile, like an old professor pleasantly surprised by a long-time student. Gleaming crimson eyes offsetting an otherwise grandfatherly appearance, elegantly clad in dark clothes with a walking cane._

_"Well, well. To think in just two hundred years, the family of my least-promising pupil has already reached the Second. I congratulate you, girl. I hope this will not be the last I hear of you."_

Kishua Zelretch Schweinorg. Number Four of the Twenty Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors. Master of the Second Magic, Operation of Parallel Worlds. An ally of humanity despite his vampiric nature.

Was it him? He seemed to take some interest in her reproducing his artifact, despite its inferiority to the original version. Of course, it would be difficult to match up to a Magic artifact capable of pushing back the Moon into place by sheer force, but tracing even a lesser version of the Housekiken wasn't a feat to take lightly.

"Hmph. Knowing his reputation, this is a test rather than a hint." Rin said to herself. Nonetheless, she tucked the book in her school bag for comparison to Rider's copy later.

That night, Rin found herself once again in the room she used whenever she stayed at Shirou's home, the two copies of Bunraku side by side in front of her. She smoothed down the front of her sleeping yukata in frustration, having found no discernable difference between the first edition belonging to Rider and the second edition belonging to her.

Still, it was possible another look would help. Once more she flipped both books open, doing a side by side comparison. Trying for patience, Rin carefully studied the books one page at a time. There had to be some minute but important difference. There had been only a few months between the publication of the first edition and the second edition run. To release a second version so soon, there must be some vital reason…like something to hide.

Rin found it on her fourth search through the books. She had been right, it really was the smallest of differences. But through all her examinations, it was the only one she had been able to find. It was at the very back of Rider's book, just one name in long list of sources.

_Tohko_

Written in hiragana so she couldn't even see the kanji. Not even a last name given to narrow the list down. As a hint or a test, it was a pretty damn small one. But it was something, at least. If only she knew where to start, or why Tohko's name had been removed from subsequent editions of Bunraku. The book itself was only ten years old, so there was a good chance Tohko was still alive-

"You've been glaring at those books for the past ten minutes." Archer broke her train of thought, kneeling behind her on the futon to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her against him. "It's an intimidating look to be sure, but I don't think they're going to crack that easily."

"Idiot. This is for your sake, so don't act so relaxed. Aren't you worried at all?" Rin retorted even as she relaxed, strangely soothed by the rise and fall of his chest.

"I believe in your skill and intelligence, Rin. Someone like you who doesn't know the meaning of defeat will always find a way."

Her cheeks flushed as she looked down, her heart pounding. "I-idiot."

He only chuckled, nuzzling the tender crook of her neck. Her face flushed as he nipped sensitive skin, a long moment passing before the haze in her mind cleared enough for her to check something important.

"A-archer...Archer, is the door shut?"

He paused in the midst of working her yukata sash, distracted in the middle of trying to figure out the complicated knot. "What?"

Rin blushed, her expression begging him not to ask for an explanation. "Is the door shut all the way?"

Archer slowly raised an eyebrow at her before craning his neck around to check.

"Yes. Yes, it is."

* * *

As usual after they finished making love, Rin curled against him, though oddly enough she remained with her back to him and her face turned away. Almost like she was trying to hide, she pulled the kakebuton up to practically cover her face. Rin shifted to glance at him for a second, her flushed cheeks heating up even more, before turning to look away again. In a voice too quiet and muffled by the comforter to make out, she said something.

"Rin?"

"...too much." She mumbled, voice barely more intelligible than before.

"Too much what?" Archer asked, worry tensing his stomach up.

"I-I liked it too much." Rin admitted, blushing so deeply she looked feverish. Once more, she pulled the kakebuton up far enough only her eyes were visible.

Archer blinked, both at her confession and unusual if sweet display of shyness. "And that's a problem?"

"It's just..." Rin began awkwardly, fingers curling into the soft comforter. "It was so...I feel like it was naughty of me to like it that much, e-especially that way." Her voice trailed off as her eyes flicked to him. "I don't want to be someone who ends up with weird tastes in the bedroom..."

Unruffled, Archer raised a brow at her, fingers tracing the nape of her neck. "Oh? You think that was deviant?" He caught sight of her mortified expression and sighed a little, easing up on her. "Rin, there's nothing strange about your preferences. Considering your personality, it fits."

Rin turned to scowl at him, fighting spirit obviously riled up. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

He patted her head with a hint of faux-condescending attitude, tone set at a soothing pitch. "You're the type who doesn't go out of her way to seek conflict, but once one does start you love to fight. It's just your competitive spirit, so naturally it's reflected in a lot of what you do."

"Hmph." But her frown disappeared, her face less cross. "I guess I can accept that."

"Good, because I have a question of my own." Archer said, moving his hand to rest over her heart. "Why were you really trying so hard to keep quiet earlier?"

Under his fingers, he could feel her heartbeat pick up as her shoulders stiffened. "Well, Rin?"

She fidgeted with the kakebuton, fingers tracing the pattern of the fabric. "Archer, R-rider is right across the hall from me...a-and it's not like the walls here are that thick."

His eyes narrowed at that, the pieces falling together in his mind. "She knows, doesn't she?"

Rin's heart, having slowed down some, started to pound again. "It's alright, I explained things to her so she doesn't have the wrong idea about us. But I promised her I'd talk to Sakura so she doesn't get upset."

Archer exhaled, his breath stirring the silky strands of hair falling over her neck. "She has a point. But I'm still going to kill her for being a damn voyeur."

* * *

The next morning was bright and sunny, a true sign of winter going to its rest to allow the rebirth of springtime. Although it was still only early March, the air was perfect and temperate and flowers were close to budding. It was only fitting that breakfast was a light, simple affair, traditional Japanese breakfast dishes arranged aesthetically on the table.

"It's strange for it to be this nice out already, even for Fuyuki." Shirou commented, making quick work of his grilled fish. "If it gets much warmer, we'll be wearing our summer uniforms before April rolls around."

Sakura smoothed out her black skirt, smiling at Shirou. "Maybe, sempai. But it's just perfect out right now. Hanami might even be a week or two earlier than usual this year."

Rin made a noise of agreement, her mind still in its early morning haze. Slowly, she drained the last of her tea in an attempt to get the magic of caffeine to bring her to full alertness.

"Sakura, what is hanami?" Rider asked curiously, helping herself to another tamagoyaki while pretending to miss Archer's measuring look with some degree of success.

"Oh, I guess we never did explain it to you Rider." Sakura said, scratching her cheek in embarrassment. "It's what the Japanese do in the spring, go have a picnic under the newly bloomed cherry trees and admire the blossoms. The season for doing it is very short, so it's important to do it as soon as possible."

Rider smiled slightly, her expression gentle in a way that was exclusively for Sakura. "That sounds lovely. I'm looking forward to it."

"We'll all go together." Shirou said, reaching over to squeeze Sakura's hand. A pretty flush rose to her cheeks even as her fingers tangled with his. "After all, we promised we would."

"Hn. Just be careful with the alcohol." Archer said, sipping at the last of his miso. "Fu...Taiga thinks her limit is about five bottles higher than it actually is."

Shirou winced, as if recalling some particularly embarrassing memory before nodding firmly in agreement. "I'll work something out with Neko-san beforehand. She and Fuji-nee have been friends since high school, so she knows how to get around her. One of my bosses at Copenhagen." He clarified in response to Rider's questioning look.

Rin blinked, the tea starting to take effect. "Where is Fujimura-sensei, anyway? Usually she's here even before breakfast is being cooked."

Sakura's eyes widened at that, a worried look crossing her face. "You're right, Nee-san. It's not like her to miss breakfast."

"Maybe she overslept." Shirou said, though he was starting to look concerned himself. "You know how she is, putting off grading till the last minute."

"Still..." Sakura began, clearly anxious. "I'll go put Nee-san and Archer-san's things in the washing machine. If she hasn't arrived by then, I'll go call her."

"That sounds good, Sakura-" Shirou said before frowning. "Wait, why would you need to wash Tohsaka's stuff already? And Archer's? They only borrowed them just last night."

Sakura froze, blushing. All conversation ceased as everyone turned to look at her.

"Sakura?" Shirou asked again, expression confused. His sherry-brown gaze flicked from Sakura, to a equally red Rin, to Archer who was completely immobile, then back to Sakura again. Slowly, something akin to horrified disbelief started to seep into his eyes. "No way..."

"W-well, sempai, it's really Nee-san's business what she does-" Sakura stammered out, her cheeks flaming.

"You knew?!" Rider burst out, jaw dropping. "For how long?"

Sakura was still red, but her mouth set into an eerily Rin-like tilt. "Somehow, I didn't think Archer-san was sneaking into Nee-san's room every time they came over because he wanted to have, say, an invigorating discussion on thaumaturgy."

Archer twitched, Rin buried her red face in her hands, and Shirou looked like he was torn between wanting to kill Archer, wanting to die himself, and having a massive migraine.

"B-but he...I..." Shirou tried to get out, face growing more crimson than his hair as he made an obvious effort not to look at Rin. "I can't even begin to list what's wrong about that." Needing reassurance, he held Sakura's hand for strength.

"Hey!" Rin said, glaring at him as she slammed her hand down on the table. "I'm giving you three seconds to take that back, **Emiya-kun**-"

"Come on, Tohsaka!" Shirou shot back, face burning as he focused on a spot six centimeters to the left of her head. "I can't imagine Sakura's sister and an alternate version of myself doing...doing..." He shook his head, unable to continue without dying of embarrassment.

"You shouldn't be imagining _anything_ about Rin, period-" Archer glared at the younger man before a frantic knocking had them all looking towards the front hall. Distantly, a somewhat familiar female voice could be heard.

"Emiya! Emiya, come quickly!"

Rin blinked, the voice registering with her first. "Ayako? What is she doing here?"

Shirou reached the door first, swiftly unlocking it. "Mitsuzuri, what is-Fuji-nee!"

The Archery Club captain stood at the front door in jogging sweats, the teacher supported against her shoulder. To say Taiga didn't look well was an understatement; her face was flushed and sweaty, her breathing ragged. In an instant Archer easily lifted her limp form into his arms, deep concern flashing in his eyes despite his stoic face.

* * *

"I was on my morning run as usual." Ayako explained as Sakura lay a cool towel across Taiga's forehead. "And I found her collapsed at the foot of the steps. I knew this was your place, Emiya, so I brought her up here." Her gaze flicked to Rin, Archer, and Rider, but her concern over her teacher and club advisor clearly took priority over any questions she had.

"Thank you, Mitsuzuri." Shirou said, bowing. "If you hadn't been by, we wouldn't have found her until we left for school."

"It's no problem." Ayako replied with a shrug. "But it's odd for Fujimura-sensei to take sick like that when she's always so energetic." Suddenly her amber eyes widened as a thought struck. "Matou, isn't Takeuchi still out with mono?"

Sakura paused, biting her lip. "Takeuchi Takashi-kun? Yes, he is. He hasn't been to club in two weeks..."

"And she got it from him." Rin followed that line of thought, studying Taiga carefully. "She's the Archery Club coach, so it makes sense."

"She and Nasu-kun did the home visit together, and he's been out sick too." Sakura added, dipping the cloth in cold water before reapplying it. Reacting to the soothing temperature, Taiga stirred before opening her eyes blearily.

"Nngh...S...shirou?" The teacher asked, voice weak and breathy.

"Fuji-nee, how are you feeling?" Shirou asked, holding her hand.

"Tired...sore..." Taiga said, words coming out hoarse. She accepted the glass of cool water Sakura passed her, drinking it gratefully with some support from Shirou. "It's been like this for almost a week, but I thought it was just a cold."

"We think it's mono, sensei." Rin said, already dialing on the phone for an ambulance. "You should probably go to the hospital."

To her surprise, Taiga grabbed at her wrist with a sluggish movement. "Wait, Tohsaka-san...I can't yet, not until my classes are taken care of."

"Fujimura-sensei, your health should be your first priority." Sakura told her in a gentle but firm tone. "I'm sure the school will be able to find a substitute if we call them now."

"Sakura-chan...that still leaves the Archery Club." Taiga protested, clearly exhausted with only her own determination keeping her going. "The tournament is just in four weeks, and if I'm out that whole time..."

Ayako started, brow knitting. "That's true. A lot of the first years need more training than just Matou and I can provide, especially since Emiya isn't coming back." She shook her head, her shoulders slumping. "I guess there's just nothing to be done about it. Any decent kyudo coach is going to already be occupied with other teams this time of year."

There was a pause as Rin and Sakura both turned to look at Archer, one with an assessing gaze, the other with eyes filled with tentative hope.

"No." Archer said flatly, arms crossing in clear refusal. "Not for heaven or hell or-"

"Archer, I can think of one very good reason for you to do Ayako a favor and coach." Rin interrupted with a sweet smile, mouthing the words 'cut you off' just out of Ayako's line of vision. "Besides, you don't really have anything better to do."

"Archer-san, is it?" Ayako asked, tilting her head thoughtfully. "You practice kyudo? If Rin thinks you're good enough..."

"He is, trust me." Rin said dryly. All eyes were on Archer, a muscle in his cheek ticking in response. He wasn't sure what was worse, the looks of hope from Ayako, Sakura, and Taiga, or the more threatening expressions sported by Rin, Shirou, and Rider.

"...Goddammit." Archer swore, looking away in defeat. Rin smirked just a bit before dialing once more for the ambulance, giving the address and situation with a concise explanation. After hanging up, she handed Shirou the phone to dial the school and inform them of the problem.

"It looks like we'll all be skipping today." Rin commented with a sigh, before giving Ayako a challenging look. "Want to assess Archer's skill now?"

"May as well." Her friend responded, trying subtly to scoot away from Rider who was sitting somewhat closer than normal personal boundaries allowed. The besotted expression didn't seem to help any. "Emiya, you still have the range set up, right?"

"Yes, Mitsuzuri. I'd set it up for you, but the ambulance is going to be here soon and I need to go with Fuji-nee." The red-head said, Sakura nodding in agreement.

"I can handle it." Archer grunted, looking irritated as he left the room, Ayako trailing behind him. Rin stood to follow, making it a few steps out to the hallway before Rider grabbed her arm.

"Rider, what-"

"Rin." Rider said, glasses shining under the hallway lights. "Ayako...Ayako...does she have a boyfriend?"

Rin's jaw dropped as she stared at the taller woman. "No, but why does that matter to you?"

Rider merely giggled in response, before moving to catch up with Ayako outside. Rin rubbed her temples, feeling a headache of her own come on.

"The Grail War's over...aren't things supposed to be getting _less_ weird now?" Yet somehow...she didn't mind.

Even if her instincts told her the insanity had only just begun.

* * *

Author's Notes: Every time I think a chapter of this fic couldn't take longer to write...headdesks I'm proven wrong. But with blood, sweat, tears, and lots of doujinshi and fic (for, ahem, 'inspiration'), I finally got this out.

Continuing with the Across The Universe soundtrack inspiration, naturally "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" would fit for a 30 lemons theme involving voyeurism. Rather convenient considering there are only two different lines to the entire song. Once more, this was long enough for me to divide into an "A-Side" and "B-Side".

Less in depth TYPE-MOON stuff this time around, but there were quite a few hints that are going to be relevant in the future. If you read carefully enough, this should be obvious. Bonus points to whomever catches the TM founders references.

One thing I will reveal, since not everyone is familiar with Fate/Zero-the woman in the drawing Rin found, for those who couldn't piece it together from the description, is Irisviel Von Einzbern. She was Kiritsugu's wife, Ilya's mother, and the chosen vessel of the Holy Grail in the Fourth Grail War. She originally owned the Emiya house, so that some of her belongings were left there and kept quite carefully by Kiritsugu until he died isn't surprising. Hence why mage-dunce Shirou would have a very rare and valuable book on alchemy (based on a real 16-th century book, actually).

Not much more to discuss here. Obviously, the plot is progressing and we're going to see some advancements in the whole "Shirou and Archer" bodies area, as well as the gradual assimilation of the eirei into modern times.

And now...Character Analysis! Wait, don't leave-

Archer: He's making some headway with Rin. Very, very, very slowly, but it's something. I think he got a bit frustrated with her, hence his...slightly aggressive actions when they were together. Well, Rider worked him up too, but they both liked it and they're finally trying new things so it's all good. Besides, Rin roping him into archery coaching is clear retribution. Not that he isn't well suited for it, and there will be some surprising benefits from it next chapter. As for his feelings for Saber...I think Archer explained this well enough himself. He loved what she stood for more than Saber herself, and in the end it was another stone on his path to ruin. As for the relationship he had with Rin during his lifetime...well, more about that will be revealed later on too.

Rin: Still in denial. This is going to last some time too, even if she's starting to weaken slightly. Archer has her number, though. Rin does enjoy conflict of equals, and is she ever going to give Archer his payback soon. And he's going to love it, the masochist. I'm glad I got a chance to show more of her intelligence with magic-Rin's damn talented, and she's only going to get better.

Rider: Seeing them is what she was so damn embarrassed about last chapter, although it turns out she got worried for nothing. As for her, uh, instant like for Ayako...my take is Rider has always had a stronger preference for women over men, given her unsavory experiences with them in general. Shirou's the only decent one she's ever met, so he's an exception, but for the most part she's all about girls, baby. And considering how she drools over Ayako in Hollow, I think canon agrees with me. Mitsuzuri, you aren't going to know what hit you.

Sakura: SHE KNEW BEFORE ANYONE THEY WERE DOING IT. This is why she rules. We're starting to see Sakura grow stronger (although she's always been strong) even if that kind of mental scarring isn't going to heal overnight. And she actually makes me like Shirou, a miracle in its own right.

Shirou: He's growing stronger too, and he and Sakura are really in love. Poor guy is REALLY traumatized by the thought of Archer and Rin making sweet, sweet love...and I've only just begun to bring the torment. XDDD Muahahahaha. Seriously, he must get the worst existential headaches. Good thing he has Sakura to cuddle.

Fuji-nee: Out sick with mono. She's going to be out of it for about a month, so we get Archer filling in for her for about that long...But she's strong, so she'll bounce back. Besides, she's warmed to Rin, so it's her responsibility to look out for the young'uns under her care. God help Archer if she ever finds out how often he and Rin have sex, though.

Ayako: We're going to see more Mitsuzuri from now on. Ronpaia doujinshi have STRONGLY influenced my take on the Rider/Ayako (stalking) relationship. Needless to say, fun for us and kind of weird for her. Give in, Ayako! Rider is just too persistent! There's no escaping her with your mere mortal abilities!


	6. Driving Me Mad

Title: Driving Me Mad  
Rating: T. The not worksafe Archer/Rin love version can be found at my writing lj.  
Characters: Archer x Rin  
Word Count: 21,229  
Warning(s): Some Heaven's Feel spoilers.  
Summary: Rin is honest, except to herself. Typically, it blows up in her face.  
Dedication: To...Caradryan? Raistlin? I'm grateful for all your help and infinite patience, but please pick a handle and stick with it.  
A/N: Done for the 30 lemons challenge theme number 22, "Bottoms Up, or 'Surprise, Guess Who's On Top Tonight?'"

Fate/stay night © TYPE-MOON / Kadokawa Shoten / Studio DEEN.

Cross-posted to fsn_fiction, 30_lemons and my writing lj.

* * *

Archer tested the yumi, the range of six archery targets already quickly set up between his and Ayako's efforts. He wasn't surprised the Japanese bow was in such good condition considering Emiya didn't even practice-his younger self was simply the type to care for such things. Although Sakura's genuine enjoyment of kyudo couldn't have hurt things any as far as motivation went.

The loops of the tsuru firmly in the groves at either end of the bow, Archer held the bow at his side as he remained immobile. Ayako gave him a curious stare, clearly waiting for an explanation.

"Prepare your bow, Mitsuzuri." Archer said, tilting his head in challenge. "I want to see if you're as worthy to instruct as I am to advise."

Ayako stilled a moment before grinning approvingly, nodding her head. "Yes. Fair's fair. I have to say, I'm happy you thought of asking, Emiya-san."

"Archery is a mental art as much as it is a physical one. Respect is...important," Archer replied, watching Ayako assemble her own bow with the same skill he distantly recalled from his old life.

"If that's true, I may be the wrong person for this," Ayako said, manner sincere rather than self-depreciating as she stood before her own target with bow and arrow at ready. "I'm not bad but there are those better than me in the club. Matou is especially skilled, even more so considering she's a first-year."

"I don't doubt her talent. But she's not the one being tested now," Archer answered, reaching for an arrow as he centered his breathing.

Ayako's smile grew once more as her gaze flicked to the targets, twelve meters away. Child's play to an archer of his skill, but explaining why he could hit a target as far as four kilometers away would take more explaining than he really felt like. "That's a good answer, Emiya-san."

A glance passed between them, one practitioner of kyudo to another.

Arrows were gripped, bows held at ready.

A single breath. The pulling of strings, the straining of arm muscles against the yumi.

The visualization of the arrow already at the center of the target.

Another breath.

Release.

The dull sound of the bulls-eye being struck.

"Dead center," Ayako noted, looking pleased. "I hit the bulls-eye too, but I don't always get it perfectly in the middle like that."

"It was still a good shot on your part," Archer said, reaching to string another arrow. "I could hit something further away than twelve meters, if you want to pick a target." He aimed before releasing the arrow, the slender wood buried firmly in the epicenter of the third target.

"Oh?" The Archery Captain replied, making her own shot to strike the fourth target. Not a bad one by any means, but still out of Archer's league. She seemed to be aware of this, eyeing the target with a little dissatisfaction before turning to look at Rin. "Tohsaka, why don't you pick?"

Rin frowned, distracted from her silent admiration of Archer's kyudo. It was strange and a little disappointing to realize she had never actually seen his skills as a kyudoka. But his former status as the Heroic Spirit of the Bow was a well-deserved one, his movements natural and flowing as a mountain river. "Why me, Mitsuzuri-san? I'm only familiar with kyudo at all because of you and Sakura."

"You can pick a target just fine, and your choice will be unbiased," Ayako said, amber gaze moving to Archer than back to Rin again. A sneaky, teasing smile started to grow on the other girl's face as she gave Rin a searching look. "Unless you think you can't be, for some reason-"

"The knothole on the tree at the end of the courtyard," Rin hastily interrupted as she pointed at the target, not wanting Ayako to figure out more than she absolutely had to. That she had already noticed how familiar Rin and Archer were with each other was bad enough.

"That one? Tohsaka, you're merciless. It's almost thirty-five meters from where we're standing." Ayako replied, squinting as she focused on the knothole. "And that spot itself can't be more than two centimeters across."

"Archer can hit it," Rin said calmly, voice utterly confident. Her eyes met his, the faith in their blue depths making his breath catch.

"Oho, you're not usually one to praise like that," Ayako said, grinning as Rin's cheeks went faintly red. "Well then, Tohsaka thinks you can do it so let's see your shot, Emiya-san."

Archer nodded, centering his breathing once more to calm his pounding heart. None of this showed in his actions, the arrow nocked no less gracefully than before. A heartbeat's worth of time passed, the world shrinking down to just his target. His fingers released the shaft, the bowstring twanging as the projectile flew to lodge neatly in the exact center of the knothole.

Ayako's eyes widened as she went to check the shot, her expression both impressed and slightly shaken. She didn't bother to announce what both Archer and Rin already knew.

That the shot was perfect.

Ayako plucked the shaft from the tree, turning it over in her hands. Finally, she chuckled before walking back to where they stood.

"Geez, Emiya-san. Why aren't you making a fortune in archery competitions? Someone with your skill could do very well for himself," Ayako asked, sitting down on the engawa. "Honestly, I'm embarrassed about having you advise now. It feels like I'm wasting your time."

"It's more complicated than that," Archer said slowly, unstringing his bow carefully. "I've...only arrived in Japan recently, so I'm still working out what to do with myself."

Ayako gave Rin an impish look, clearly aware of the amount of familiarity between her friend and Shirou's 'relative'. "Really? D'you got any suggestions for him, Toh-"

"I personally can't think of a better way for Archer to spend his time than helping you, A~ya~ko~," Rider cooed, popping up so suddenly even Archer jolted in surprise. Ayako gave a nervous squeak, made so frantic by her attempt to flee she ended up slipping on the engawa floor and falling face-first into Rider's generous chest. "Fufufufu~"

Rin forcibly held back a laugh as Ayako scrambled away, unusually flustered as she straightened her jogging sweats out. Rider merely smiled in response, not the least bit put off.

"A-anyway, Emiya-san," Ayako coughed, face still red. "It would be wonderful if you would advise while Fujimura-sensei is out sick," Her gaze shifted to Rider before she scooted back just a bit more. "The Archery Club gets lots of support from the school and we tend to do well in tournaments, so I'm sure I can work out a compensation fee of some sort with the principal. It probably won't be that much, but it's better than nothing."

"Mitsuzuri, I don't need-" Archer began.

"No, I insist. It wouldn't sit right by me if you didn't get something for your efforts," Ayako said firmly, nodding assuredly.

The sheer nostalgia that washed over Archer had him laughing dryly, Ayako's strong will just as he remembered. Perhaps that was part of why she and Rin were such good friends. "Fine, I give. I know better than to argue when you're like that..." He stopped before adding quickly, "From what Rin's told me of you, that is."

"Hmm," Ayako responded, eyeing Rin closely. "How uncharacteristic of Tohsaka to just talk to a guy like that."

Rin blushed, but the sound of the front door opening halted any blistering response she might have prepared.

"Nee...Tohsaka-senpai, everyone, we're back," Sakura's voice called out from the hall. Shirou's voice could faintly be heard murmuring to her before she continued. "And we brought lunch."

* * *

Shirou picked up another piece of beef from his gyudon, chewing slowly before starting. "So you were right, Mitsuzuri. It was mono. The doctor said it shouldn't be too serious since Fuji-nee's so healthy and we caught it early. But she'll still be out for about a month."

"Haaa," Ayako sighed, chopsticks snagging a bit of beef and rice from her own bowl. "Well, it's a relief she's going to get better. Looks like we'll be depending on you for that long, Emiya-san."

Archer shifted, his discomfort only perceived by Rin. "Just Archer is fine. Or Archer-san if you must. And I don't mind being useful."

Ayako laughed a little, taking a sip of her soda. "With a reply like that, Archer-san, you really do sound just like Emiya. Some things must run in the family," She stirred her bowl around with her chopsticks, missing the tense looks around the table. "Anyway, graduation is in just six days, on the twenty-first. There'll be a long weekend and then we'll be starting the new school year before April begins."

"It's already that close? Time went by unbelievably fast." Rin said, eating a last bit of beef to completely empty her bowl. "And aptitude tests first thing for all the new third years. Feeling up to it, Shirou?"

Shirou gave Rin a level stare before groaning, "Tohsaka, you really are a devil at heart. Saying such things when you're always at the top of your year for grades is just cruel." Next to him, Sakura gave Rin the tiniest hint of a reprimanding frown.

"Oho, but time's running out for you too Tohsaka," Ayako trilled with more than a little wicked glee. "Just one more year for our bet, or have you forgotten?"

Archer looked at Rin, blinking as her face went red. "Rin, what bet is that?"

"I-It's not important!" Rin said quickly, holding up her hands as if to physically shield herself from inquiry. "Besides, now that we know Fujimura-sensei's situation, we should go to the school to get the paperwork for your employment put through so there won't be any problems-"

"Yes, let's all go together," Rider smiled, moving a little closer to Ayako in a way that had her looking nervous and flustered. "Ayako, you'll show us around, won't you?"

"U...um..." Ayako sweated, giving Rin a pleading look that was studiously ignored. "Okay..."

"Just as I thought, Ayako is truly a wonderful girl," Rider beamed, embracing Ayako in a way that rather reminded Rin of a snake trapping some small helpless animal. "If there's anything I can do to repay you..."

"It's fine! Really!" Ayako said quickly, forcibly extracting herself from Rider's arms as the eirei pouted at her. "Let me just go home and get changed, and I'll meet you all at school in an hour." The club captain continued moving backwards to the front hall, unwilling to turn her back on so dangerous a foe. "Thanks for the lunch, Emiya."

"Sure, Mitsu-" The sound of the door slamming and footsteps running away cut Shirou off as he stared in the direction Ayako had gone in bewilderment. In a second, all their eyes were on Rider. The Servant sighed in a mixture of disappointment and bemusement, crossing her arms over her ample chest.

"She got away. But I suppose it makes things more interesting..." Rider mused, unaware of the stares. She brightened suddenly, sitting up. "Do you think she's going to change into her school uniform?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Probably, if she's planning to see the principal," Archer said, raising an eyebrow at Rin's suspicious stare. "What?"

"You don't have a thing for..." Rin started, before stopping and shaking her head. "Never mind. We need to go back to our place and get your papers. Now's as good a time as any to see if they pass the authenticity test."

For some reason, Archer's expression lifted subtly. The white-haired man nodded, following Rin to the entrance hall to slip their shoes on.

Once more, the front door open and shut to leave Shirou, Sakura, and Rider alone at the table.

"I wonder why Archer-san looked so pleased by that," Sakura said, daintily eating the last few grains of rice at the bottom of her bowl.

"Because she said 'our place' inside of 'my place'," Shirou replied, the answer coming to him surprisingly easily. For a second his head twinged with a phantom ache before it faded as quickly as it came.

"Senpai?" Sakura asked, checking his forehead with her slender little hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Sakura," Shirou said, giving her his most reassuring smile. "There was just a lot going on today, so it isn't surprising I got a headache. Tohsaka doesn't really need us at school, so I think I'll just lie down."

"O-oh," She said, looking down at her hands as Rider discreetly left the room. "Um...senpai..."

"If you wouldn't be bored, I'd love your company Sakura," Shirou chuckled, stroking her smooth cheek that flushed so sweetly under his hand. "I sleep best when you're there."

"I won't be bored, senpai. Not with you."

The sun hung low in the sky by the time Archer and Rin finished working things out at school. It had gone even easier than he thought it would, between Rin's flawless documentation and Ayako's vouching for his skill. From there, it had been simple enough to work out a temporary contract agreement and look over the Archery Club facilities as well as the rest of the school. Not that he actually needed it, but Rin was the only one who knew that.

He didn't mind though. There had been something surprisingly pleasant about seeing the school again in peaceful circumstances, and seeing Rin play the flawless school idol never stopped being amusing. And to be honest, at least with himself, he really liked seeing her in her school uniform. Taiga falling sick aside, it hadn't been a bad day by any means-

"You look satisfied," Rin commented as she walked beside him. "Are you that ready to start tomorrow?"

"Hn. Things haven't worked out too badly, so why wouldn't I be satisfied?" Archer said as they walked the familiar road south to the edge of Tohsaka Manor.

"True, but when you look like that I can't help but worry you've got something up your sleeve," Rin responded, smirking up at him.

"How could I have something planned when the most I'm doing is teaching kyudo to high school students?" Archer asked, holding the gate open for her before following her to the front door.

"This from the man who did his very best to bring a paradox about and wipe himself from existence; all on a chance so ridiculously small it was a shade away from impossible," Rin shot back as she unlocked the door, her teasing smile taking some of the bite out of her words. She slipped out of her red coat, Archer automatically taking it to hang it up in the front hall closet. "Well, that was then and this was now."

"Hn," Archer grunted, taking off his own jacket. "Isn't that just sophistry, Rin-"

"Oh, it's not important." Rin said, setting down her school bag before heading for the stairs. "I'm going to change, so would you mind getting started on dinner?"

Archer sighed at her flippant attitude, but a little smile played upon his face anyway. "And what would you like, Rin?"

She paused at the top of the stairs, looking down at him over her shoulder. "Surprise me, Archer."

Rin had already disappeared from sight by the time he worked out a reply, voice dry with meaning. "I'm planning on it."

* * *

The morning was cool and grey when Archer first woke, earlier than usual considering it was his first day of advising the archery club. Curled up next to him, Rin barely responded to his stirring as she remained deeply asleep. Carefully as possible, Archer slipped away from her to prepare for the day.

Twenty minutes and a hot shower later, Archer was back by the bed gently nudging Rin's shoulder. She had never really been an early riser, but this morning she was sleeping even sounder than usual. He smirked slightly in pure masculine pride as he looked at her, recalling just how much energy she had expended the previous night because of him. In which case she couldn't really be blamed for needing the rest, but she had asked him to wake her earlier than normal.

"Rin...Rin, it's time to get up," Archer repeated, shaking her softly. Just as before, Rin only mumbled at him in response before curling up to hide beneath the blankets. He sighed, pulling the blankets down once more. Clearly, something more was needed.

Idly, Archer leaned over to gently blow in Rin's ear. He wasn't exactly sure what he had been expecting her to do, but it was probably safe to say it was nothing close to what did happen. As soon as the air hit her Rin cried out, bolting upright and scooting back, all the while protectively covering her ears.

"I'm sorry, Rin, I didn't think you'd react...so...strongly..." Archer said, trailing off as he got a better look at her. Face flushed, blue eyes wide, her body trembling hard.

Nipples stiffening under the thin cotton of her yellow pajamas, easily visible with the top two buttons undone. Chest rising and falling as she breathed in a way he usually associated with something other than simple surprise. Archer smiled as he moved to join her on the bed even when his eyes narrowed with a hunter's instinct. Sensing his intent, Rin blushed more before covering her ears as completely as possible.

Not that it did any good. Gently but firmly, Archer grabbed her wrists to pull her hands away from her ears, moving her so she was down on her back. Rin struggled for a second against his grip, but her body moving against his was counter-productive more than anything.

"That was very interesting, Rin," Archer purred, easily feeling her tremble at his breathe against her ear. "Are you always so sensitive there?"

"N...no, no I'm not." Rin said weakly, squirming as her heart pounded. "You just surprised-oooh Archer..."

Archer trailed his tongue down to her earlobe, gently nibbling at the soft flesh. "What was that? If that's how you react when you aren't sensitive, I'm not sure I could take how you'd react when you are."

Rin groaned, arcing back to expose her throat in a way that was too much to ignore. Archer released her earlobe to slowly trail kisses down her throat before sucking at the pulse in it beating hard and fast. "I-it's just...coincidence..."

"Coincidence, you say? I'm going to have to test that one," Archer smirked at her after a quick glance at the clock. It may have been his first day of coaching, but some things were too…important…to put off.

* * *

Even if it meant a little lateness.

"Ara, Archer-san~!" Sakura beamed sweetly, her expression lifted from the purest of angels. "We were worried you had gotten lost, considering you were supposed to show up almost fifteen minutes ago." Her violet eyes widened to add to the appearance of innocence, but there was a dark gleam within their depths. Behind his shoulder Rin glared at her sister, expression pointedly warning.

"Now, now, Matou, it's easy to get lost if you aren't familiar with the roads around here," Ayako broke in, not knowing Archer was more than knowledgeable about Fuyuki. Her easy smile went nervous for a second as she looked carefully for anything lavender colored. "Er...is Rider-san...?"

"She's at the hospital dropping some things off for Fujimura-sensei." Sakura told her, before her expression grew a little mischievous. "But she said she'd drop by after school to watch club."

"Ah, that's...um...thoughtful of her," Ayako sweated nervously, before clapping her hands together to catch the attention of the club members who were looking curiously at the unaccustomed presence of the school idol and the mysterious stranger. "Everyone, listen up!"

All eyes were on her automatically, her anxiety gone as Ayako held herself like a true leader, confident and capable. "I know lately we've been going through a lot of changes, both expected and unexpected. The end of the school year is approaching, and pretty soon we'll all be going on to the next grade and welcoming new years to the club," Ayako's tone went somber as her expression grew more serious. "And we've had changes we haven't expected. Recently, we've lost more than one of our members to the mysterious disappearances...and we have not seen any of them again," Sakura flinched, looking down with a pained face even as Shirou laid a comforting hand on her shaking shoulder. "And now, our Club Adviser has unexpectedly taken ill."

Concerned noise rose at this, until Ayako raised her hand and silence fell once more. "Fortunately, Fujimura-sensei will recover from her mono in roughly a month. However, this does put her out of commission at a vital time in our preparation for the Regional Kyudo Championship. Which is why I've taken the liberty of finding a temporary fill-in coach for Sensei until she recovers."

Shifting slightly, Ayako gestured to Archer. Uncomfortable with the rather intense stares he was getting, he nonetheless stood carefully and did his best to stay composed. "This is Emiya Archer-san, everybody. He's a relative of Emiya's who has agreed to help us out while Fujimura-sensei is recovering, so regard him kindly. I've seen his kyudo skill, and can personally attest to the fact we're lucky to have him here to advise us even for a short while."

Archer cleared his throat, collecting his thoughts quickly as attention shifted to him. "As Mitsuzuri said, these are unusual circumstances you've all found yourselves in. She's spoken highly of your skill, and just as you should expect me to do my best, I expect the best from you in turn. I'll be strict but fair, so I hope this will result in a smooth transition for everyone here. This may be only temporary, but with honest effort on both my part and yours we can make the best of it."

There was a moment of low murmuring, the gathered archery club members looking at each other as they took this in. One of the first-year students raised her hand slowly, face a bit pink as she didn't look Archer quite in the eye. "Um....Emiya-sensei? What will happen when Fujimura-sensei gets better?"

Archer exhaled, a little thrown by the title as he answered her question. "Fujimura-sensei will return to being your club advisor assuming she's made a full recovery."

The murmuring grew as the stares grew more speculative, until Ayako clapped her hands once more and the voices quieted.

"Everyone, I'm sure you all have questions for Emiya-sensei, but we can save them for after-school when we have more time. I have one more announcement to make-" Ayako paused to grin, her expression lightening the mood, "-And don't worry, it's a good one," She gestured to Shirou, who gently lead a mystified-looking Sakura forward. "As I'm sure you all know, in less than a month's time I'll be moving on to third year along with all the other second years. Naturally, my first concern was the Archery Club. While I've enjoyed being captain, I'm just not going to have as much free time as before. So, I thought on who I felt was reliable, hard-working, talented, and cared as much about the club as I do. One person came to mind, which is why I'm happy to tell you all come the new school year Matou Sakura is to be your new Archery Club Captain."

"Eeeh?!?" Sakura squeaked, blushing as the entire club clapped enthusiastically, Shirou and Rin most of all. The violet-haired girl covered her red face with both hands, mouth opening and closing as she tried to collect herself. "Mitsuzuri-senpai, it's an honor but-"

"I won't hear it, Matou. You're the best person for the job, and I know you truly love kyudo," Ayako smiled, nudging her encouragingly. "Hey, with you as Captain, maybe Emiya will finally stop resisting and join the club again."

Sakura tilted her head, looking very thoughtful even as Shirou backed away nervously. "Senpai...."

"Not with Archer there. We'd kill each other before first bell," Shirou hissed under his breath, before speaking louder. "You know, school will be starting in twenty minutes and there was something Issei needed me to fix-" His fingers fumbled with the sliding door before he made a swift retreat for the relative safety of the school. "See you later!"

Rin walked next to her sister, eyeing the retreating red-head with hooded eyes. "Coward. Want me to scold him for you, Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head, looking slightly amused. "It's not like he doesn't have a point, Nee-san. Besides, if Senpai really upset me I'd let him have it later myself."

Rin nodded in approval, either oblivious to, or more likely ignoring Archer's slightly disturbed expression.

_Sakura, you really are Rin's sister, aren't you...?_ He thought as the club members started filing out to change for school. _The boldness isn't a bad thing, but please don't become as scary as Rin. I don't think the world could take it._

* * *

The final chimes of the morning bell had died away by the time Rin was in her seat, idly looking out the window as she waited for the homeroom teacher to arrive. She was still getting accustomed to not seeing Kuzuki-sensei around anymore, but Shieru-sensei was fitting well enough considering the abrupt circumstances in which she had become 2-A's homeroom teacher. Rin supposed it helped that her class was a calm, settled one-

"Hey, Tohsaka, what's with that look? It's scary to see you with that thoughtful expression."

-For the most part.

With a sigh, Rin moved her gaze away from the scenery to give Makidera Kaede a cool stare. "What do you mean by that, Makidera-san? It's too early in the morning for nonsense."

The tanned track star nodded at that, an absurdly approving look on her face. "Yes, yes. This harsh Tohsaka is the one I know. Staring out the window like a dreamy girl with her head in the clouds is completely unnatural for you."

"You're the unnatural one, Makidera-san," Rin deadpanned at the runner, resting her cheek in her hand. "Do you always place such significance on my facial expressions?"

"She's just overly excited today." Himuro Kane cut in, pushing her glasses up her nose as she looked calmly at her fellow track team member. "Everyone is."

Rin blinked at the grey-haired girl, shifting her gaze from Maki. "Why is that, Himuro-san?"

Himuro settled into her own seat, straightening her pencils into a neat row. "You should know, Tohsaka-jou. You were with him in the archery dojo."

Barely managing to restrain her startled expression, Rin looked back and forth between the two girls. "What? You aren't talking about..."

"The kyudo advisor who's filling in for Fujimura-sensei," Saegusa Yukika finished with her usual shy smile. "Good morning, Tohsaka-san."

"Good morning, Saegusa-san," Rin replied, expression softening slightly for the girl who had always reminded her a bit of Sakura in temperament. But reality returned swiftly enough. "Don't tell me everyone is talking about that. What's the big deal about a substitute teacher?"

The light gleamed against Himuro's glasses as she directed a focused look at Rin. "Normally none. But a handsome substitute who's just old enough to have that aura of experience, but young enough it's not like having a thing for older guys? That's a different story. And the archery thing doesn't hurt, either-"

Shieru-sensei walked into the room, effectively halting all conversation. Rin automatically stood, bowed, and sat with the rest of the class, mind racing as an unpleasant feeling gripped her chest.

A while later, the lunch bell rang. The passing of time had done nothing to lessen the strange, tight feeling stirring inside her, much as she had strived to ignore it. The barbed emotion only intensified as she pulled out her bentou...the one Archer had made for her that morning.

"Ano, Tohsaka-san?" Yukika piped up with a hopeful smile. "Would you like to have lunch with us? You have your bentou this time..."

"Sure, Saegusa-san," Rin said, joining her and the other track team members at the window. "Thank you for remembering."

Yukika pinked a bit as she untied her furoshiki, the blue and white fabric falling aside to reveal her bentou. "A-ah, you're welcome..."

Makidera sat down heavily in her seat, quickly unpacking her own lunch and snatching up a sausage. "Haa, don't make such a big deal about it, Yukichi!" She waved her sausage around dramatically before taking an emphatic bite. "It's just Homurabara Gakuen School Idol Tohsaka Rin-sama-oh, she's glaring again."

"Please don't talk with your mouth full, Makidera-san." Rin replied, smiling like an angel and not meaning any of it. "It's too vulgar for a girl, so have some consideration."

"Harsh!" Maki said, mock scooting away and hiding her face with the lid of her bentou. She lowered it after a moment, resuming eating her lunch with slightly more grace.

"It was gross, Maki." Himuro commented, popping a tamagoyaki into her mouth while quietly watching Rin unwrap her own meal. "Tohsaka-jou, your bentou have been looking quite elegant lately. That must have taken some effort."

Rin cursed in her head even as she gave a small smile to the other girl. "Thank you, but it's certainly worth it." Even though I can't exactly explain why I wasn't the one who made it...Archer, being so fastidious shouldn't cause problems like this.

"Kara-age, tamagoyaki, stir-fry veggies, rice...even a sliced tangerine," Yukika observed, craning her head to get a better look. She gave Rin her usual gentle smile, lifting a inari-zushi from her lunch. "I thought all that practice making lunch for my brothers made me pretty good, but yours looks even better, Tohsaka-san."

Rin gave a weak affirmative noise, desperately casting around to change the subject. "Saegusa-san, you have brothers?"

The brown-haired girl nodded. "Yes, three. They're all in elementary school."

"Three younger brothers...no wonder you're so good at managing the track team," Rin said, taking a bite of the kara-age. Flavor filled her mouth, a flawless balance of ginger and soy sauce and chicken...perfectly breaded and fried. Suddenly, ten pieces didn't seem like enough. She swallowed before smirking a bit at Maki. "Especially this one here."

"Yeah, she is good with childr-hey! That's Homurabara's Black Leopard to you, Tohsaka!" Makidera shot back as she stood up, posing with her lunch in one hand and head tilted artistically to catch the sunlight streaming through the window.

"Homurabara's Black Leopard, please sit down," Rin responded flatly, picking up a clump of rice before popping it in her mouth. "Save that energy for the field, you know?"

"Yes, Kaede. Archery isn't the only club preparing for competition," Yukika added, lightly tugging Maki's skirt until she sat back down again. "Our best runner shouldn't tire herself out before school's even let out."

"Hmph, you know I have energy to spare," Makidera pouted for a moment, chopsticks poking at her grilled salmon before tearing a piece off. She wolfed it down before giving Rin a grin. "Besides, we actually have Tohsaka with us for once. Rejected any confessions lately?"

"Don't use me to fuel your appetite for gossip," Rin said before taking another bite of stir-fry vegetable. It figured it was delicious as everything else in the lunch. "And no, I haven't."

Yukika looked shyly at her, fiddling with her tofu. "Tohsaka-san is very popular, after all. Of course she'd be confessed to often."

"It really isn't that frequent," Rin objected, nibbling on a slice of tangerine. "Besides, I have better things to do with my time than waste it with romance."

"Such an unfeminine answer from Tohsaka, who'd have thought it?" Maki cackled, all three girls looking rather intently at her. "Ohoho, or do you just already have someone?" Suppressing the urge to move away, Rin replaced the lid of her now-empty bentou before retying the furoshiki.

"Yes, that would explain a lot," Himuro said in a completely serious tone, index finger lightly tapping her chin. "Tohsaka Rin rejected each and every boy who confessed because her heart belongs to another...and no one must ever know of their hidden love-"

"Are you even listening to what you're saying, Himuro-san?" Rin asked, slipping her bentou back into her bag. "I'm just not interested in pursuing a relationship or falling in love."

"That's cold, Tohsaka," Makidera drawled as she leaned back in her seat, contentedly full. "Don't you care about all the heartbreak you've caused?"

"No," Rin replied immediately, Kaede wiping a fake tear in response.

"She's not going to be the only one causing heartbreak, judging by the look of it." Himuro said as she gazed out the window, lazily chewing her katsu sandwich. "I see the swarming has already started."

"Swarming?" Yukika asked, her eyes widening as she followed her team-mate's line of sight. "Oh my."

Curiosity roused, Rin glanced out the window. The location of her classroom meant that where the school's athletic events were held could be easily seen...which included the archery dojo.

And the roughly twenty girls who were crowded around it, each at various stages of working up the nerve to look inside. For what-or who, to be more accurate-didn't take a huge leap of logic. Rin closed her eyes, concentrating herself for a moment. Awareness drifted across her mind as she sensed the familiar circuits of Shirou and Sakura, but none belonging to Archer. Clearly, he wasn't actually in the school for now, but would probably return at the end of the day to start training.

"Word really has gotten around, even when hardly anyone outside the archery club has actually seen him," Himuro noted, pushing her glasses up. "So, Tohsaka-san, is he really that good-looking?"

"H-hey, what are you asking me for?" Rin asked, more irritated than she cared to admit by the girls near the dojo.

"Because you have seen him," Himuro told her, raising a brow at her reaction. "Besides, you've been pretty familiar with Emiya-kun lately, so you would probably have a better chance of knowing his relative than most."

"That's true, but..." Rin trailed off, stomach clenching at the looks she was getting. Finally, she sighed and gave in. "Yes, he's handsome. Even if you don't go for that manly, kind of rugged look."

"Is he your type, Tohsaka-san?" Yukika asked, toying with her furoshiki as a strangely anxious look flashed across her face.

"Huh? I don't really have a type, so I can't answer that," Rin said, sneaking another glance out the window. About ten more girls had arrived, and it looked like more were on the way. If it was this bad when Archer wasn't even there...Rin shuddered slightly, thinking of what after school was going to be like.

* * *

Worse than even she had imagined, as it turned out. Rin barely managed to keep her jaw from dropping as she stared at what looked like half the school-at least, the half that was female-crowded outside the dojo. Next to her, Shirou had a similar expression on his face that was somewhere between disbelief and horror.

"Tohsaka...women are scary," Shirou eventually said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm actually starting to feel sorry for that bastard."

"I'm sure it's just curiosity," Rin replied after giving Shirou a Look, though she wasn't feeling as confident about it as her words let on. "You know, new face in a small town and all that. But still, they shouldn't be getting in the way of Sakura and the others when they're trying to practice."

Shirou shrugged at that, a fond smile on his face. "Between her and Mitsuzuri, I'm sure they can handle it."

"That still doesn't mean they should have to deal with a bunch of interlopers," Rin said, scowling at the crowd for a reason she didn't care to examine too closely. "You think Archer would at least have the sense to make those girls go away."

"He doesn't even notice them," Shirou murmured to himself, his voice strangely quiet and eyes distant. Rin shot him a questioning look as he shook himself out of it, waving her off with a smile. "Let's go inside and see how Sakura's doing, Tohsaka."

Rin nodded, the two of them somehow making their way past the crowd to enter the dojo. Inside, the bolder of the girls were lounging against the walls and watching the proceedings. It didn't take a lot of observation to see they could have cared less about the archery itself, considering the way their eyes as a whole were firmly fixed on Archer. Rin's expression grew darker even as she realized Archer cut a nice figure in a gi and hakama. He looked the very essence of a Japanese kyudoka in the blue and white cloth...though she couldn't help but think he'd look better in pure black.

"Senpai!" Sakura hurried over, smiling cheerfully at them both. "You came by to watch after all."

"I did promise you I would, Sakura," Shirou reminded her, tugging gently at a lock of violet hair. "Besides, there's no way I'd miss out on that." He jabbed a thumb over where Archer was correcting the stance of a first year. A female first year who was blushing altogether too much for Rin's tastes.

"How has he been doing?" Rin asked, looking away from the sight that was only making her more and more irritated.

"Very well, actually," Sakura said, eyes flicking to note Rin's expression before settling into her normal sweet smile. "He doesn't mince words, but Archer-sa...Emiya-sensei clearly knows what he's doing. He has a way of correcting people so they overcome their mistakes and learn what they could work on for themselves. For the kind of teacher he is, it's a good skill."

"Really?" Rin looked back to where Archer was still helping the first year. To look at his face, most people wouldn't see happiness of any sort. But Rin could read genuine enjoyment in the lift of his brow and set of his jaw. She really shouldn't have been so surprised. Deep down, it had always been Archer's way to help those who needed it...and he really did love kyudo in a way few people did. Archer must have sensed her gaze, head lifting as his gaze met her own for a long moment.

"Nee-san," Sakura's subtle cough caught her attention. Rin started, face flushing as her sister gave her a knowing smile. "Would you and senpai like to stay and watch? You seem to have already gotten started on it."

"Is it me or have you gotten meaner lately?" Rin muttered as Sakura's smile widened. "Besides, you have enough people without any interest in archery already watching."

Sakura cast a penetrative look Rin's way as Shirou looked on obliviously. "Nee-san, you're too dishonest with yourself by far."

"Hey, Sakura, care to elaborate on that?" Rin asked, an irate vein popping up in her forehead. Sakura merely chuckled until a vaguely-familiar looking first year tapped her shoulder. Rin looked at the auburn-haired boy, trying to place where she had seen him before.

"Excuse me, Matou. Nee-chan needs you to fill out some paperwork for club," The boy told Sakura, face going distinctly surly at how close Shirou was standing to her. The sense of deja vu lifted as an arm was slung around the boy's shoulder, causing him to buckle slightly.

"Minori, I could have gotten Matou myself!" Ayako said cheerfully, ignoring the way his cheeks flushed as she let him go. With the siblings side by side, Rin finally caught the resemblence between Ayako and her younger brother. Even with Minori's aggravated face and Ayako's look of total and complete fear-

Wait, fear? What brought that on- Rin thought before she got a quick answer.

"Ayako, so you have a younger brother?" Rider beamed happily behind Rin. "It's lovely to meet you, Mitsuzuri-kun."

"Urk...Rider-san..." Ayako began to step back in a futile effort to get some space between herself and the Servant. "You did come by after all-"

"Yes," Rider said in the warmest of tones, smile bright as the sun. "I wanted to see Ayako in her kyudo uniform. Are you and Sakura going to the school to fill the paperwork out?"

Trapped, Ayako's shoulders slumped in defeat. "...Yes. Would you like me to show you around, Rider-san?"

"That would be wonderful, Ayako," Rider's glasses gleamed as she held onto the younger woman's hand. The girl sighed once more before leading the way, Sakura inclining her head before trailing after them.

"Does Rider...like Mitsuzuri?" Shirou asked, utterly bewildered.

"No, she's just clinging that closely because she enjoys cutting the circulation off in other people's arms," A deep voice sarcastically cut in from behind. Shirou and Rin turned to face Archer, the white-haired man eyeing his younger self with brow raised and arms crossed. Rin swallowed and looked down, feeling heat warm her cheeks.

"But they're both..." Shirou began, blushing to roughly the same shade as his hair. "And Mitsuzuri never really seemed like the type."

"Judging by Rider's approach, she's planning on winning Mitsuzuri over with mind-numbing persistence," Archer deadpanned, his steel-colored gaze resting on Rin. "Are you alright, Rin?"

"W-what? I'm fine, it's just warm in here," Rin said, taking an involuntary step back. With a quick breath she had composed herself enough to look him in the eye. "So, Sakura said things were going well?"

Archer shrugged, the movement sending his muscles flexing underneath his gi. "That's an optimistic assessment, but everyone is doing their best to adjust. It helps that all the members here have been with the archery club for at least a year, so they're willing to work hard."

"And the crowd doesn't bother you?" Rin asked, the words slipping out before she could stop herself. Her face began to warm again as she averted her eyes from him.

Archer blinked, looking honestly confused by the question. "Not really. If they want to observe and aren't disturbing anyone, it's not like it hurts."

"...Right, that makes sense," Rin responded quietly, fingers twisting with the handle of her book bag. She gave a little smile, the most she could manage at the moment. "If it builds interest-"

"Emiya-sensei!" A second year waved over at them, cutting Rin off. "Could you analyze my stance?"

"You should help him," Rin said, knuckles white with tension around the leather. "Shirou and I will just watch and stay out of the way."

Archer frowned at her, but read something in her expression that said she didn't want him to pursue it. He gave a sharp nod before heading over to help the second-year, leaving the two magi to walk to the wall where the other non-club members were watching.

They stayed for a good two hours, long enough for Sakura to return with Rider and Ayako in tow. For something Rin had little personal interest in, the time spent observing the archery club went by fast. Perhaps it was because Archer did it with such grace. Sometimes it felt like she would never tire of seeing him handle the bow.

Before she knew it, it was almost six. Shirou nudged her, indicating that if dinner was to be prepared at a reasonable hour, they'd have to leave now. Rin stood, brushing her skirt off as she looked around for Archer or Sakura.

"Nee-san, senpai, are you leaving now?" Sakura asked, approaching her as Archer made his way over to them.

"Yeah, I need to get started on dinner," Shirou said, squeezing her hand gently. "You two shouldn't be too much longer, right?"

"No," Archer replied, setting his bow against the wall. "The entire club is staying late tonight, so we won't be done till around eight."

"...Oh," Rin murmured, a strange wave of discontent washing over her. "I guess we'll just start on it without you."

Sakura eyed her sister carefully, missing nothing in her voice and expression. Her violet gaze moved to Shirou, but it seemed he was oblivious to Rin's less-apparent emotional currents as always...although he did seem to be looking at Archer for some reason.

After a long moment, Rin sensed Sakura's stare. She gave her younger sister an annoyed look before her expression returned to its normal composed state. "I'll go pry Rider away from Ayako, then. We'll have dinner ready by the time you get back."

Rin walked off to separate Rider from Ayako in a near-literal sense. Sakura watched her a second longer, before glancing at Shirou and Archer and giggling softly. Both men looked at her blankly, clearly not seeing the cause of her amusement.

"Sakura, what is it?" Shirou asked, face a little flustered.

"I-I'm sorry, senpai," Sakura laughed a bit, struggling to contain herself. "I just realized Archer-san and senpai have a lot more in common than I originally thought."

In unison, Archer and Shirou scowled. Sakura's expression only grew more amused, and their own darker, as they realized they were once again in sync.

"So much for hoping your personality wouldn't grow devilish," Archer muttered, brow furrowing as Sakura attempted to hide her smile with her hand. He looked over to where Rin was firmly dragging Rider away from Ayako, feeling his tension lessen involuntarily...until Sakura covered her mouth a little more firmly, shoulders shaking.

Shirou followed Rin and Rider after bidding Sakura goodbye and nodding slightly at Archer. The two kyudo-practitioners watched the three of them leave together in silence before Archer's eyes flicked down to Sakura.

"So, what did set you off in the first place?" Archer asked, picking his bow up from against the wall and testing the string automatically. To his slight confusion, Sakura gave him a fond smile as she brushed her hair back over her shoulder.

"You and senpai are both surprisingly dense in some ways, Archer-san," Sakura told him with a impish look, moving away to check on post-Rider Ayako.

Archer's eyes narrowed as he mentally vowed revenge. _Dense how, Sakura? You're dating the King of Denseness, you have no right to talk._

* * *

The setting sun painted the sky a thousand brilliant shades of scarlet and orange as Rin, Shirou, and Rider slowly walked down the path to the residential district from Homurabara Gakuen. A low rumble vibrated the air when a black motorcycle with two riders passed them by, but otherwise the streets were virtually empty. There was a steady silence as they walked, not exactly heavy but not conducive to conversation either.

This was mostly because of Rin. The dark-haired magus had been unusually quiet, giving off an air of deep contemplation as she walked a little ways before the other two. Not for the first time, Shirou and Rider exchanged a concerned look as they debated whether to say something or not. There was just something unnatural about Rin being so withdrawn, completely at odds with her normal confident self.

The trio had reached the intersection connecting the commercial and residential districts when Shirou had finally worked up the nerve to speak, when Rin abruptly stopped and distantly at the skyscrapers lining the horizon. There was more than a little conflict written in her expression, but a keen observer could tell Rin had finally made up her mind about something and there was no going back.

"Shirou, Rider," Rin spoke up with a tiny smile that seemed to be meant to reassure Rin herself as much as her two companions. "I have something I need to do in Shinto, so go on to your place without me. I should be back in time for dinner."

The red-head blinked, tilting his head curiously. "Tohsaka, what do you need to do?"

To their surprise, Rin flushed a little before striding away. "That doesn't matter, so just forget about it!"

Shirou and Rider both stared at her retreating figure with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Suddenly, Shirou hissed sharply, grabbing his left wrist and applying pressure as pain flashed across his face.

"Shirou, are you alright?" Rider asked quickly, Rin's behavior forgotten in her concern for the boy beside her. She scanned the surrounding area, but detected no immediate threats.

"It's...it's fine, Rider," Shirou gritted out, controlling his breathing as his pained face began to ease. He relaxed the grip on his wrist slowly and carefully. "All of the sudden, my wrist just hurt..."

"Let me see." Rider told him, taking his arm carefully to study it under the slowly fading light.

A dark bruise was slowly forming, in sharp contrast to Shirou's lightly tanned skin. Rider's startled eyes met his, each looking at the other for answers that weren't coming.

"Shirou-" Rider started, before he waved her off.

"It's okay, Rider. It's just a bruise. It doesn't even hurt that much anymore," Shirou said, straightening up after picking up his bookbag from where it had fallen to the ground. "Let's just go home."

"But bruises don't form spontaneously," Rider replied, easily keeping up with Shirou's pace considering her long stride. "Sakura will be worried."

"If it happens again, I'll do something about it," Shirou answered, casting a glance at the river turned vivid ochre by the sunset. "We shouldn't bother her about small things."

Rider frowned but nodded reluctantly. "For now, at least."

* * *

Shirou was halfway through preparing the beef curry when Rin returned, holding a bag from a store well known for its high-quality leather goods. Something in her face convinced him not to question her about it...mostly the understated but very real threat of violent retaliation. Instead he passed her an apron, smiling to show his good will.

"Tohsaka, could you get on chopping the vegetables?" Shirou asked, gesturing to where they were neatly laid out and washed. "I'm a little behind, so it'll help a lot."

"Hmph," Rin stared coolly at him for a moment, clearly waiting for some line of inquiry. Seeing none coming, she turned to the vegetables, cutting them into tidy, even pieces. "What were you planning on doing with them after?"

"It's curry tonight, so something light is best," Shirou told her, stirring the pot carefully as he tested the thickness of the curry sauce. "Just grilling them with a tare base was all I had in mind."

"I'll take care of that, then," Rin said, accentuating her words with the thud of the blade against the cutting board. "I see you've already got the rice cooking too, but do you really need that much for five people?"

Shirou ran a hand through his hair, mussing it a little as he chuckled. "I guess I forgot Fuji-nee wasn't going to be here for dinner. Well, I can use the leftovers for lunch tomorrow."

Rin laughed a little herself, turning to toss the chopped vegetables on the grill as she stirred the tare basting sauce. Dipping the brush in the sauce, she began to coat the vegetables to let them soak up the flavor. "Or maybe not. Some people around here have a pretty healthy appetite."

"Don't say that about people who can't defend themselves when you don't even eat breakfast most of the time, Tohsaka," Shirou said pointedly, letting the curry simmer as he began to dice tofu to add to the miso soup. "It's not good to skip meals."

Rin glared at him for a second, flipping the grilling vegetables to brush the other side with the savory tare. "It's not like that. If I'm not hungry, I shouldn't force myself to eat."

Her anger slid off Shirou like water, barely noticed by the red-head as he chopped wakame efficiently before lifting the cutting board and adding it to the miso. "But it's funny, Tohsaka. You always eat breakfast when Archer makes it-ow!"

Smiling sweetly, Rin increased the pressure on the fingers pinching Shirou's side. "Emiya-kun, are you sure this is an avenue of thought you wish to keep pursuing? By all means, keep on going if you like." She waited for his head to shake in firm denial before letting him go, serenely turning to move the now finished vegetables to a waiting tray.

"Red devil," Shirou mumbled, rubbing the tender spot until the worst of the sting faded. "I knew the Tohsaka at school was a complete fake, but to think she was this much of a bully-"

Fortunately for the sake of Shirou's well being, the sound of the door opening and two pairs of footsteps entering the Emiya house distracted Rin from violent retribution.

"We're home~!" Sakura's voice rang out cheerfully, instantly washing away the tense atmosphere in the kitchen. "Senpai, do you need any help with dinner?"

A second later, the timer Shirou had going for the curry rang to indicate it was ready. He turned it off before removing his apron and hurrying to the entrance hall to greet his girlfriend. "No, Sakura. You came just as it fini-" He stopped, eyes widening as he spotted the bandage neatly tied around Archer's left wrist exactly where Shirou's own was wrapped.

"Senpai?" Sakura asked curiously, following his gaze to Archer's arm. "Oh, it's nothing serious. Archer-san was helping a first year who hadn't strung her bow properly, so the tsuru snapped. It was nothing an ice pack and bandage couldn't fix."

"Concerned about my health, Emiya?" Archer asked sarcastically, setting his equipment down carefully. "I'm almost touched."

"Not in a million years," Shirou shot back flatly, shoving his hand in his pocket so his own bandage couldn't be seen. "What kind of ex-Heroic Spirit can't dodge a snapped bowstring?"

Their eyes met with piercing force, glaring heatedly at each other until two meaningful coughs sounded. Both men turned to cool, calm expressions and crossed arms from both Sakura and Rin. In its own way, it was far scarier than anything they could do to each other.

"Are you two quite finished?" Rin asked, giving them both a look rather reminiscent of a mother faced with two misbehaving little boys. "Dinner's all set out, and I don't feel like waiting any longer."

"Senpai, Archer-san, be civil," Sakura chided, her chastising tone striking as hard as Rin's scolding one. She let them soak in their own guilt for a long beat before smiling gracefully. "Let's go eat now."

* * *

"So, how did it go?" Rin blew on her steaming curry, trying to cool the dish before taking a bite. Unsurprisingly, it was delicious as everything else Shirou made. "Is the kyudo range still in one piece?"

"Nee-san!" Sakura protested, expression wounded before she caught sight of the teasing look on Rin's face and relaxed. "It went very well, for your information."

Rin sipped her tea, waving a hand at her sister. "Yes, yes, Archery Club Captain. I see you're taking your duties very seriously."

Sakura pouted a second before straightening up. "Well, there were rough patches here and there. Everyone's used to Fujimura-sensei, and Archer-san's teaching method is very, um, different from hers..."

"Harsher, Sakura. You don't need to skirt around it," Archer's mouth curved in a sardonic smile as he sipped the last of his miso soup. Before he had even completely set the bowl down, Shirou reached for it. A bemused look was cast his way as the redhead began to refill the bowl.

"You're intuitive tonight, Emiya. Too bad it isn't for a more useful situation," Archer commented, taking the full bowl back from Shirou.

"Huh?" Shirou blinked, sounding slightly confused. "I could just...tell you wanted some more..." His voice trailed off, expression oddly thrown. Sakura shot him a concerned look as Shirou mussed his hair in thought.

"Are you alright, Shirou?" Rider asked, setting her spoon down as she noticed her Master's boyfriend's distress.

"W-what? I'm fine, nothing's wrong!" Shirou said quickly, waving both hands in denial. "It's just been a busy day, that's all."

The rest of the table gave him a shared look of complete disbelief.

"Completely unconvincing, senpai."

"Shirou, it's just too sad to watch your feeble attempts."

"I can't believe I was ever that bad at lying."

"Well, if Shirou tries very, very hard, he just might grow up to be a terrible adult like you, Archer."

"Rider, that's going a bit far-"

"Hey, I wasn't lying when I said I was fine!" Shirou interrupted them all, palms slamming against the table. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Look, I appreciate the concern, but nothing's wrong. I promise I'd say something if there was."

Sakura reached out to hold one of his hands in her smaller, softer one. "You promise, senpai?" Gentle violet eyes gazed at him, worry still very much evident.

Shirou smiled back at her, lightly patting Sakura's head. "I do. You know I keep my word, Sakura."

Her face relaxed some, but she still looked unsettled. "I'll even take it easy after dinner if it'll make you feel better."

"Good. I'll go take care of the dishes, so just take care not to strain yourself," Rin said, leisurely finishing off the rest of her meal before dabbing her mouth gracefully with a napkin. She gave him a look that clearly stated any response to the contrary would not be wise. "Isn't that right, Shirou?"

Shirou bowed his head, acquiescing without a fight. "Yes, Tohsaka."

* * *

True to his word, Shirou simply sat at the table as he watched the evening news with Rider and Sakura. Neither the television nor the sounds of Archer and Rin washing the dishes were enough to distract him from his thoughts, which while having not reached the level of true worry, were nonetheless confusing and more than a little abnormal.

Shirou remembered dreaming of swords, when Archer's arm had been transplanted onto him. Even through the fracturing of his consciousness, innumerable blades had always been crystal clear. But those blades hadn't been simple weapons, or even just Noble Phantasms-at the heart, they made up the core of Archer's existence. They were Archer, in a way.

He was beginning to realize the consequences of being so deeply connected to another being were longer lasting than he originally thought, even with the connection severed. Absently, Shirou rubbed his left arm as his eyes flicked to Archer for a second. Being able to read his alternate self that well, to even anticipate his actions and desires...while it didn't seem outright harmful in any way, it was still strange. Moreover, he just plain didn't want to be connected someone he disliked so strongly. Not for the first time, Shirou wondered how Tohsaka put up with the man, only to forcefully suppress the thought as he realized that relationship was one best left unexamined for the sake of his sanity.

Shirou took a sip of the green tea Sakura had brewed before shifting to look at where Tohsaka and Archer were finishing up the last of the dirty dishes. There was something strangely amusing about watching a Heroic Spirit do something so mundane, more so because a slender girl had effectively bossed him into it. But that was another thing he had noticed about Archer, willingly or not. The white-haired man had always been perfectly content with doing even the most domestic tasks, as long as Tohsaka was the one who asked.

In spite of himself, Shirou wondered why that was. He watched them for a moment as Archer washed and Rin dried the dishes. Archer's face was composed as always, though the redhead had noticed lately that the set of his jaw seemed to have become less tense. Shirou rested his chin against his hand, not seeing anything notable in so ordinary a scene.

Then Archer gazed at Rin, and everything became as clear as a summer's day.

It was easy for Shirou to tell, even though he wasn't the most observant person around. How could he not? The look on Archer's face was the same Shirou had whenever he looked at Sakura.

_Archer loves Tohsaka. He loves her._

The thought rang through his head, banishing anything else. Shirou stared, unable to help himself as he was shocked to the core. He had always known that Archer had a kind of regard for Tohsaka that no one else earned from him. It wasn't even hard to think he cared for her, in his own way. But that Archer was in love with her had never even crossed Shirou's mind, even with the...intimate...relationship they seemed to have settled into.

And Tohsaka...

Shirou hesitated at the thought of her. Tohsaka was harder to place. He was sure she cared about Archer too, but whether she loved him in return or not...

Well, what he was sure about was that she wasn't ready to love Archer either way. The white haired man must have known that himself. It explained the underlying pain in his eyes, that he couldn't be honest about how he felt lest he risk losing her-

"Emiya, you have three seconds to stop staring before I punch you," Archer's deep voice cut into Shirou's chain of thought. Still shaken, Shirou gazed blankly at the visibly irritated man, his thoughts going in a million directions at once.

Archer's eyes narrowed. "One-"

"Oh, stop it Archer," Rin said, drying her hands off before resting them on her hips. "Shirou, is everything alright?"

"I...I..." Shirou stuttered, feeling his face flame as he quickly looked down to avoid Rin's sharp eyes. "I think I need to lay down for a bit."

Sakura stood with him, hands smoothing out her skirt. "I'll go with you, senpai, in case you need anything."

Shirou gave her a grateful look, taking her hand as they walked to the room they shared together. Sakura opened the door, shutting it complete close after Shirou. Settling easily in seiza position at the top of their futon, the violet-haired girl patted her lap insistently.

"Sakura?" Shirou asked, expression inviting an explanation.

"You're going to rest your head on my lap, senpai," Sakura told him in a firm tone, contrasting with her lightly flushed cheeks. "And then you're going to tell me what really made you react like that."

Despite himself, Shirou laughed as he obediently lay down to pillow his head on Sakura's soft thighs. "I really can't hide anything from you, can I?"

Sakura smoothed his hair down with a delicate touch, voice cheerful yet not having a single crack in its conviction. "No, you can't. I've watched senpai far too long to be easily fooled, so you may as well share with me."

"Yes, yes," Shirou sighed, just enjoying the warmth of her body and the relaxing strokes of her hand. It took a considerable effort of willpower not to simply drowse off. "I just...well, it's not something that's easy for an amateur magus like me to explain."

"Senpai?" Sakura asked, her hand resting on his hair. "Do I need to get Nee-san?"

"No!" Shirou replied quickly, panicking at the thought of facing Rin after that. "No, you don't need to get Tohsaka. It actually has to do with her, in a way."

"Eh? With Nee-san?" Sakura echoed, and Shirou could sense just a hint of a pout in her tone.

"Only because it's really about Archer." Shirou reassured her, reaching out to hold her free hand. He felt Sakura grow calm once more before he continued. "Like I said, it's hard for an amateur like me to explain, but...I've kind of been getting...flashes...from him. You know, I'll be able to tell what he's thinking or feeling once in a while."

"Flashes...because of when your circuits were bonded together?" Sakura mused to herself, growing concern evident in her voice. She gasped softly as she looked down at Shirou's hand, finger skimming the bandage around his wrist. "Senpai, your left-"

"I know. It's in the same place where Archer was injured," Shirou finished, squeezing her hand to comfort her. "Let me guess, it happened around...six thirty?"

"T-that's right, senpai," Sakura confirmed with a soft voice. "Yours happened at the same time?" She went silent, stroking his hair once more. "I should talk to Nee-san. You and Archer-san still being connected..."

Shirou shifted to look up at her, the troubled look on her face a stab in his heart. "Sakura, it's okay. It's a little weird, but it's not painful or causing any harm."

Sakura bit her lip, her eyes meeting his. "But..."

His fingers tightened around hers as Shirou gave her the most reassuring smile he could. "Don't worry about it, Sakura. If it gets any stronger, I'll go see Tohsaka." He winced a little, praying it wouldn't come to that. "I just hope she won't press me too closely for details."

Sakura looked confused at that. "Why would that be a problem?"

"Because then I'd have to tell her how I could tell Archer and I are connected, and that would mean telling her Archer's in love with her." Shirou said without thinking until Sakura's gasp registered. "Oh crap-"

"Senpai, is that true?" Sakura beamed, her face lighting up as she bounced a little. "Archer-san loves Nee-san?"

"Er...yes, he does. But she-" Shirou began, but he could already tell Sakura was in her own world.

"They'd have such a cute baby, don't you think?" Sakura sighed dreamily, hands to her flushed cheeks. "She'd be like a tiny little Nee-san..."

Shirou shuddered, rather nightmarish visions of the kind of offspring Archer and Rin would produce dancing across his vision. A beautiful angel with the heart and mind of a demon seemed to be not too far off the mark...

_"Shirou-jii-san! How come this tamagoyaki isn't as good as Otou-san's? But then again, my Otou-san is the best so maybe it should be expected."_

_"Shirou-jii-san! You'll help me fix the teapot before Okaa-san notices, right?"_

_"Shirou-jii-sannnnn-"_

"I'd be a good auntie, and sew her baby clothes and sit for her-" Sakura continued as Shirou shook his head in a desperate attempt to wipe the images from his mind.

"But Sakura, she's not ready to love him back," Shirou interrupted her, the dreamy haze lifting from her violet eyes. "That's why he's keeping it a secret. So she won't get scared and leave him."

"Hm. That's..." Sakura mused, thinking on this. "Unfortunately true. Nee-san isn't good at being honest about how she feels." She sighed ruefully, fingers running through Shirou's hair absently. "Even though she's probably half in love with him already, if she knew how he felt...she'd end it in an instant. Archer-san really does know Nee-san well."

"Any relationship with two people as headstrong as Archer and Tohsaka is bound to be complicated," Shirou replied, closing his eyes as he relaxed into Sakura's touch. "Now it really comes down to is who's the more stubborn out of them."

"And who do you think that is, senpai?" Sakura asked, amusement coloring her tone.

"Tohsaka is a formidable opponent," Shirou said, a small smirk twisting his lips. "But Archer is the most stubborn, devious bastard who's ever lived."

"Senpai..." Sakura reprimanded, but the tilt of her smile betrayed her agreement with Shirou's opinion.

"Against Archer, Tohsaka doesn't stand a chance," Shirou continued, not missing the irony of supporting a man with whom he had such an antagonistic relationship. "Not that she isn't going to make him work for it."

* * *

There was a companionable quiet in the air as Archer and Rin made their way down the streets, returning home as night fell around them.

Or rather, almost companionable. But it would have taken an astute observer indeed to notice the hint of forcibly-repressed irritation in Rin's eyes that had remained even hours after seeing the crowd of girls at the archery dojo.

"You know, you never really gave your opinion, Archer," Rin said suddenly, cheeks reddening slightly at his questioning look. "How you thought things went today."

"Oh, that," Archer shrugged, grey eyes closed in reflection. "It wasn't perfect, but everyone being willing to work so hard is a good sign." He smiled a bit as he recalled the proceedings in the dojo. "There are some members with real skill, too. It's not surprising that they frequently do well in competitions."

"You actually have a good view of them, huh?" Rin noted, her eyes narrowing. "And they didn't even have to use a Command Spell to earn it first."

Archer smirked down at her, biting back a laugh. "Still sore over that, Rin?"

Rin glared at him, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder. "You made me waste a powerful piece of thaumaturgy. On purpose."

"It wasn't a complete waste, Rin," Archer pointed out. "Although being killed and resurrected seems to have broken the Order."

"Hmph. It's still unfair. It's not like you didn't know I would be a good Master, but you still put me through all that." Rin said, giving him a cool look that slipped a bit on seeing the obvious amusement in his face.

"Are you sure you aren't just regretting I don't have to bow to your slightest whim now, Rin?" Archer teased her, enjoying the way her face flushed. "You know, 'Obey my every command' is a rather suspicious choice of words-"

"Shut up!" Rin shot back, shoving the gate open with a bang. "I was right from the start, you don't deserve any praise at all."

Catching up with her in a second's time, Archer's hand closed over Rin's on the doorknob.

"Oh? To think after all this, my Master still has a low opinion of me," Archer's voice brushed huskily against Rin's ear. Catching the way her breath hitched along with the lovely flush rising on her cheeks, he smirked slightly as his fingers stroked her hand. "Shall I do something that would earn your regard, Rin?"

The gentle flush immediately heated up into a furious blush. Speechless, Rin stared up at Archer as he casually opened the door to let them both inside to shut it just as smoothly.

"W-w-what?" Rin stammered, her head spinning with surprise. "This early in the evening...you want to..."

"You never objected to having tea at night before, Rin," He said, giving her a smile of schoolboy-like innocence before his expression went devilish. "Or did you have something else in mind? You know I'd be happy to give you whatever you need-"

"Just make the tea!" Rin replied hastily, shrugging out of her coat with record speed. A faint chuckle followed her as she strode to the sitting room, her face still aflame. Seating herself on the plush cream-colored couch, Rin gave a small frustrated sigh.

"What's wrong with me?" Rin murmured softly. Glancing at her schoolbag and thinking of the contents within it before shaking her head, the magus sighed once more in a mixture of amusement and resignation. "Well, I'm glad he's enjoying himself. The least I can do is see things to the end."

* * *

The brightness of the next day saw Archer and Rin engaging in what had become a ritual for them both. There was something deep and undeniably pleasant about those quiet mornings, letting comfortable silence hold steady with only the sounds of the tea being poured and sipped breaking it.

Rin fidgeted with the spoon she was using to stir her tea with, fighting her feelings of irrational anxiety. In her opinion, there was nothing to be anxious about an innocent gift between, well, whatever she and Archer were to each other-

"I think the sugar and cream are completely stirred in now, Rin," Archer commented from the armchair he was lounging gracefully in, accentuating his words with a sip of his beverage. "Seven minutes straight is more than enough."

Rin started, setting her tea down with a violent clatter. There was a moment's strained silence as Archer eyed her in clear amusement, though there were flashes of concern in his grey eyes too.

"Is the tea not to your liking, Rin?" He asked, placing his now-empty cup noiselessly on the table.

"N-no, that's not it!" Rin said quickly, shaking her head in denial. Reddening at the force of his bemused look, she reached into her book bag for the simply wrapped package to toss it at him. "Here."

Archer caught it easily, studying it with a blank face as if he didn't quite know what it was or what he was supposed to do with it.

"It's for you, idiot," Rin clarified, sipping her tea to cover her rising embarrassment. "I saw it and I thought it was something you could use."

"I...thank you, Rin," Archer said sincerely. "Do you want me to open it now?"

"Do what you like," Rin replied as indifferently as she could, his faint smile telling her it failed. Taking another long sip of her tea to wet her dry throat, Rin let the rustling of paper fill the air.

Utter silence. The dark-haired girl's fingers tightened to near whiteness around the handle, anxious regret already filling her.

"Ar-"

"I don't know what to say, Rin," Archer said quietly, carefully holding the black leather archery glove. "It's been a long time since I've owned anything so fine."

Rin stared for a second, her face burning so crimson she felt feverish. "D-don't say such things until you actually try it on! Just because it looks right doesn't mean anything, e-especially since I had to guess your hand span-"

"You can relax," Archer told her soothingly, slipping the glove on and flexing his hand to test the fit. "It's perfect."

The warm, gentle smile he gave her had her heart pounding painfully hard in her chest. With considerable effort Rin finished her tea, standing up with her coat hooked over her arm. "W-we should get going now if you want to make club on time."

"Are you sure you want to come along, Rin?" Archer asked, slipping the glove in the linen pouch that came with it. "I know this is pretty early for you."

"It's fine," Rin told him, her face still faintly red as she slipped her coat. "Just concentrate on teaching and don't worry about me."

* * *

A few days later, Rin reflected she really should have chosen her words with more care. Not that there was anything wrong with Archer working hard, which he was, or that she couldn't take care of herself, which she could. It was just-

"He's really handsome, isn't he? Emiya-sensei."

-That. Counting back from ten slowly, Rin forced herself to relax her death grip on her chopsticks and stop pretending they were her classmate's neck.

Maybe she had brought it on herself to some extent. Rin wasn't oblivious to the power of Archer's good looks and fit body, even if he was. Toss him into an environment full of teenage girls who were emotionally ahead of their male peers by a few years and the end result was practically inevitable.

After several straight days of fawning, the cool logic was starting to lose its power. She knew she didn't have right or reason to feel the hot anger that was frequently spiking up, but it happened all the same.

A dreamy sigh escaped the group of girls still gossiping near her.

"And when he bends over in that hakama-"

Rin snapped her chopsticks in half with a loud crack.

"T...Tohsaka-san..." Yukika whispered, eyes wide. "Would you like to borrow a set of chopsticks?"

Taking a very deep breath for composure, Rin smiled as gracefully as she could. "If you don't mind, Saegusa-san."

Kaede grinned like a fox, chewing on her yakisoba pan with gusto. "Better get her some painkillers too, what with her attitude today-"

"Makidera-san, are you sure you want to finish that sentence?" Rin asked, smile sweet as candy laced with arsenic. "I know you normally don't think that far ahead, but even your survival instinct isn't that dull."

"Eep," The tanned girl huddled in her chair. "Better make that painkillers and chocolate-hey!" Grumbling, she peeled the shrimp tempura Rin had thrown at her forehead off before eating it with a shrug. "Mmm, it's really good."

Himuro glanced at Rin, expression unreadable. "Are you feeling alright, Tohsaka-san?"

"Just a headache," Rin said smoothly. "It'll go away once I eat."

* * *

"Emiya, you've got that tic in your brow again."

As it so happened, more than one magus at Homurabara Gakuen was feeling a bit strained due to the former Servant's presence. Shirou felt his brow to confirm his friend's comment, his attempt to weakly laugh it off turning into a long, frustrated groan.

"It's bad, isn't it?" Issei asked, methodically eating his usual austere bento.

"They just won't leave me alone," Shirou said, rubbing at his temples. "I feel like I've got a sign on my face that says 'Ask me about the new archery coach'. One that only girls can see."

"Women," Issei snorted. "No man is worth that much adulation based on looks alone."

Shirou glanced down at his own lunch, spirits lifting at all the caring little touches that were Sakura's signature. "Maybe I should make a sign. 'Yes, he's already in a relationship!' or something."

"Try pamphlets, you'll spare yourself effort all around," A voice cut in sardonically. Archer stood framed in the doorway, glaring at Shirou in a way that somehow told the redhead he was an annoyance too pathetic to crush. There was a small clattering noise as Issei dropped his chopsticks, immobile and strangely red at the other man's presence. Archer glanced at him, causing his blush to darken, before turning his attention back to Shirou. "Or is that too much planning and foresight for you?"

"Do you hang around just waiting for a good chance to cut in with something sarcastic to say?" Shirou retorted.

"I don't have a need to do such things, what with you providing so many easy openings on your own," Archer smirked slightly. "Amazingly enough, my entire existence doesn't revolve around making you look like an idiot. I'm actually here to get the archery club budget files from Ryuudou Issei."

Both men looked at Issei, who had progressed from mute and red, to mute, brilliant red, and somewhat hazy-eyed. A long, awkward moment passed before Archer coughed, feigning ignorance. "You are Ryuudou Issei, aren't you?"

Face utterly crimson, Issei shot to his feet before bowing deeply. "Y-Yes, I am! I'm honored to have the pleasure of making your acquaintance, Emiya-sensei."

Archer blinked, a little taken aback by the extremely formal greeting. "Thank you, Ryuudou," Meaning to put Issei at ease, Archer gave him a small smile. That it only caused the student council president to flush hotter still and swallow nervously was mystifying to the older man. "Are the budget files here?"

"Oh, of course! Um...t-they should be here somewhere-" Issei babbled, moving over to the filing cabinet to rifle through the meticulously organized files with something less than his usual efficiency.

Archer and Shirou looked at each other, sharing an confused look.

"I'm sorry, they should be here..." Issei mumbled, fingers thumbing over folders. Finally, he chanced upon the file his eyes had somehow skipped over and pulled it out. "Here, Emiya-sensei-ahhh!" Issei's own startled yelp cut him off as the heavy file fell from his jittery hands.

Just before it could fall to the floor, Archer easily grabbed it. Straightening up, he casually tucked the folder under his arm before inclining his head. "Thank you, Ryuudou. I'll just return these later."

"Keep them as long as you need!" Issei said to Archer as he made his exit, waving weakly as the door shut behind him. A second afterwards, he slumped back into his seat, holding his head in his hands.

"Issei?" Shirou asked, still muddled about what had just happened.

"So, he has a girlfriend, huh?" Issei murmured, voice muffled.

"Er..." Shirou paused, thinking of the myriad complication that was Archer's love-life. "Close enough. Uh...why do you sound so disappointed?"

"Must be some woman, to be with him." Issei said, ignoring his friend's question.

"...You have no idea."

* * *

Rin stared listlessly over the school grounds, dyed crimson by the sunset. The sounds of various sport clubs letting out could be heard in the distance, but she paid them no mind. Considering just who was occupying her thoughts, this was no small feat.

Much as Rin hated the thought, the jealousy that had stung at her heart made her choice-her only choice-all too clear. She just hoped Archer wouldn't hate her for it. This thing between them was never meant to last, and that she was feeling possessive over the man when she had no right or reason to do so...

It was time to let Archer go. For his own good and hers. Ignoring the painful way her heart clenched, Rin headed slowly down the stairs to make her way out of the school and onto the grounds themselves.

By this time the school was all but deserted. What few students remained were already leaving their clubs in clusters to go home. Lost in thought as she was, Rin wasn't so out of it she didn't notice two girls leaving the archery dojo as she approached the building. Reflexively, Rin ducked into a pool of shadow before her brain reminded her she had no reason to hide.

Mentally berating herself for behaving so suspiciously, Rin stood still as the girls walked past her obliviously. Unfortunately, this meant she could hear every word of their chatter perfectly...and with her luck, it could only be about one thing.

"Maa...club was tough tonight. Emiya-sensei was so hard on us," One of the girls said, rubbing her shoulder gingerly.

Her companion giggled, a meaningful smile flitting across her face. "Hey, you know if he was hard on us in a different way there'd be a line of girls stretching to Tokyo."

"K-kokoro-chan!" The first girl shrieked, face red. "What if someone heard you?!"

"Heh, I'm only saying what we all wish would happen. I saw you staring at his arms for a good ten minutes, Aika, and you weren't the only one," Kokoro responded carelessly.

Aika blushed even deeper but didn't deny it. "But we shouldn't. Emiya-kun said he already has a girlfriend..."

Kokoro snorted, already starting to stroll off. "If I had that many girls on my back, I'd say anything to get them to go away. No ring means he's fair game."

Her friend hurried after her, her reprimanding tone sounding in the distance. Neither of them had noticed Rin, the air about her far different than it had been a minute ago. She took a trembling breath before closing the distance to the dojo.

* * *

Archer wrung out the cloth he was using to clean the dojo floor, the pattering water drops echoing in the empty silence. Straightening up to empty the bucket, he cast his eye approvingly on a job well done.

A loud slamming noise snapped Archer out of his reverie. Turning swiftly as only an eirei could, to his surprise Rin stood there. Her slender frame was shaking, but her expression masked in the shadows somehow worried Archer even more.

"Rin-" Archer began uneasily.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rin interrupted, her voice soft and quiet. He knew Rin well enough to be aware of just what a huge danger sign that was, but that told him nothing about what had triggered it.

"Cleaning the dojo," Archer said, tone carefully pitched at neutral even as Rin closed the distance between them. He had to forcibly repress the urge to take a step back when he finally got a clear look at Rin's face. "Is there something wrong?"

"'Is there something-'...you..." Rin hissed, expression as angry as he had ever seen it. Lightening fast, her leg swept his feet out from under him, her palm slamming against his chest to pin him to the floor. A very distant part of his mind noted Shirou was probably laughing himself sick somewhere at this, and that he really had been slacking off if Rin of all people could take him down that easily. The rest of his mind was rather understandably occupied by Rin straddling his waist and kissing him roughly.

That was new, to say the least. There was a kind of fire and possessiveness in the movement of Rin's mouth against his that she never had been bold enough to act on before. A low groan escaped Archer as she nipped his lip hard enough to sting, her tongue slipping inside to dominate his own.

Rin's breathing was ragged as she suddenly ended the kiss, licking her lips as she stared hazily down at him. Her hands weren't idle, tugging at his gi to strip him to the waist.

"They have to understand," Rin whispered, clearly speaking more to herself than to him. "You were my Archer first. And now I'm going to remind you why."

* * *

Winded in the most enjoyable way possible, they lay together on the floor for a long, quiet moment. Recovering his energy fairly fast, Archer focused his prana enough to break the binding spell Rin had cast. Supremely content despite his lingering confusion over what exactly had spurred her to do this, he kissed the bare expanse of creamy shoulder within reach of his mouth. Feeling her chest rise and fall gently against his own, he moved his hand to lazily trace her spine from the nape of her neck all the way down to the small of her back.

She shifted against him in response, skin soft and warm against his. Her breathing was more even now, though the looseness of her muscles told him her reserves were still low. Absently playing with her hair, Archer grinned at her.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but what brought that on?"

He reasonably expected some embarrassment on her part, but her entire body stiffened like a strung wire under his hands. Evidently, she had more energy left than his initial impression, if the speed with which she moved away from him was any indication. Archer gave her a bewildered look as he sat up and pulled his clothes back into place.

"I'm sorry," Rin choked out, eyes cast down as her cheeks turned a dull shade of red, "I'm so sorry, Archer."

He gaped at her, utterly speechless. Taking his silence as a reprimand in itself, she kept speaking in a shaking voice, "I...I shouldn't have been so angry, and I took it out on you, and..."

Her gaze lifted to his wrists. It barely even stung, but already the skin was irritated and reddening. The sight had her shoulders slumping in regret, her fists pressing hard against her tights in chastisement. The crushing silence was unbearable, each second that passed feeling like it took an eternity. Not breaking the lull of sound, Archer kneeled in front of Rin, face level. For a split second her eyes held with his before she looked down once more, prepared to accept whatever harsh reprimand he had in store for her.

Gently, he flicked his index finger against her forehead, a soft laugh escaping his throat at the startled way she stared at him, "Your clumsiness hasn't changed despite everything. I'm glad."

"C-clumsiness?!" Rin repeated in a high-pitched voice, "I'm apologizing sincerely here and that's your response?"

"Rin, no one-least of all me-is going to deny you've got incredible talent. But do you honestly think I couldn't have stopped you if I really wanted to?" Archer pointed out calmly, watching Rin's flush deepen with no small amount of amusement.

For a second she opened her mouth and shut it, clearly flustered beyond words until her expression switched from mortification to focused suspicion. "So...you actually did want it like that?"

"Well, I hadn't factored a binding spell into things, which I have to say was quite innovative on your part-" Faced with a cutting glare, Archer stopped midsentence. "Yes, I did," He smirked slightly at her, adding, "Considering how wet you were when I hadn't even done anything, I'm not the only one who liked it."

"Oh," Rin said weakly, a furious blush rising on her face. "Why didn't you say anything before?"

"You weren't ready physically," Archer told her. "I may have wanted you on top, but not at the cost of your own pleasure. More to the point, much as I did enjoy myself, couldn't you give me a little warning?"

"I-I didn't originally set out to do that!" Rin protested, hugging her knees to her chest protectively. "It was the opposite if anything..."

It felt like his blood was freezing in fear of those words and all they implied. His response dying in his throat, all he could do was stare at her mutely while his heart grew heavy. Rin bit her lip, hugging herself a little tighter.

"...I was scared," Rin finally said, her tone defeated, "I was scared because those girls chasing after you made me jealous when I shouldn't have been, and being scared because of that made me angry."

Archer was lost at this point, but it was still far better than feeling like Rin was slowly prying his heart out of his body with her bare hands. "What girls?"

Rin gave him a disbelieving stare before covering her face with a shaking hand. "You...didn't even notice? At all? I lost my temper over nothing!?"

Archer hadn't even begun to form a reply before she cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I guess some things really don't ever change," she paused for a second, chin resting on her knees in a way that made her look strangely vulnerable. "But Archer...I really don't know what to do."

Right now, there was nothing he wanted more than to hold her in his arms and soothe her. Knowing perfectly well this would only make things worse in her current state, Archer settled instead for ruffling her hair. "I was-am-the Servant you Summoned, Rin. That we have a strong bond is natural, so of course you felt defensive. It's nothing to worry yourself over."

She didn't say anything, but the noticeable way her expression eased was enough. As if to reinforce for herself the true meaning behind his words, she nodded in agreement. "Then we'll...," she paused, trying to find the most neutral words, "let things stay as they are."

Archer wasn't satisfied with such a small concession on her part, but figured his low luck ranking had been pressed enough for one day. "Aa."

Rin nodded again for emphasis, a slightly irritated look of remembrance flashing across her face for a second. "Just don't be so oblivious next time."

He was about to point out it was like he had done anything to encourage the attention when the school clock chimed the hour, its deep tone reverberating across the empty grounds. They both started a bit, the serious air dissipating to lighten the atmosphere. Nonetheless, Rin still looked faintly embarrassed as she reached for the clothing still scattered about. As she redressed herself silently, Archer set out to wipe away the last traces of their coupling from the floor. Task finished, he glanced at her for a second before bringing himself to speak up. "If you want to clean up while I change-"

"I don't need..." Rin began before shifting, color rising on her face, "I-I'll be in the washroom." At the glint of amusement in his eyes he was unable to hide, she shot him a glare. Under her breath, she mumbled, "It's not my fault there was so much this time, Archer."

Fortunately, the sound of the water running as she washed up covered any laughter that might have triumphed over his self-control. His lips were still firmly fixed in a smirk despite his best efforts in the changing room, stripping out of his gi and hakama for his usual shirt and slacks. Packing the traditional clothing away in a bag to bring home and clean, he exited the dojo to wait for Rin to join him before closing up.

It wasn't long before she emerged, her cheeks still a little pink. Moreover, there was something different about the careful way she was walking...

"Rin? Are you alright?" Archer asked as he shut the doors, locking them with a turn of the key.

She didn't reply for a second, looking immensely embarrassed. "...L-like I said, it was a lot this time." Shooting him a frustrated glare at his lack of comprehension, she played with her fingers, elaborating, "My panties were too sticky, so...so..."

Archer couldn't help it. An evil grin spread across his face, his hand skimming her back until he reached her bottom. A gentle squeeze told him everything he needed to know, but her flustered squeak proved too much to resist. "You don't have any underwear on, Rin?"

Rin stuttered, scooting away as her face started going scarlet, "A-archer! Not outside, what if someone saw-"

"Ah Emiya-sensei, good evening," Issei said as he emerged from behind the dojo's wall. His pleasant smile went somewhat strained when he caught sight of Rin, but he still managed a courteous nod. That alone told her he hadn't seen anything in a moment of pure luck. "Tohsaka."

"Good evening, Ryuudou," Archer replied, serenely sliding his hand in his pocket as if he hadn't just been feeling Rin up a second ago. "You're dedicated to be here so late."

"Student council work can pile up like that," Issei told him with a modest shrug, "Anyway, I actually found some archery club files that had been misplaced, and wanted to give them to you while I had the chance."

Archer accepted the files, tucking them into his bag with a level of composure Rin couldn't help but be awed by. Wondering at how collected he was, it took her a moment to register Issei speaking to her.

"-and you're here quite late for someone who isn't in the Archery Club, Tohsaka," The slightly tense look Issei usually had around her was rapidly becoming tinged with suspicion.

"I...I was helping clean up so we could both get to Shirou's house for dinner faster," Rin managed, forcing herself to keep cool. "It certainly isn't fair for him to straighten things up all by himself."

"How uncharacteristically generous of you," Issei retorted, pushing his glasses up. They sized each other up for a moment before his eyes widened in sudden shock. "T-tohsaka...your blouse..."

"What you mean, my blouse-" Rin began, looking downwards to where his eyes were focused, choking midsentence. The shirt was misbuttoned in what was quite possibly the worst imaginable place, a hint of pale cleavage clearly visible.

There was a moment's dead silence as Issei's gaze flicked from her to Archer and back again, the look in his eyes growing a little more horrified with each passing second. It was a horror Rin would have been feeling as well if her mind hadn't been rendered utterly blank despite her best efforts to think of some explanation. From the bottom of her heart, Rin cursed her distant ancestor for her genetic propensity to fumble at the worst moment. Somehow, in some unfathomable way, this was all Tohsaka Nagato's fault.

"Ah...Ryuudou-kun..." Rin started, voice feeble to even her own ears.

"_Rin_," Issei suddenly intoned, folding his hands together into _dokko_ position.

"Eh? What are you-"

"_Hyou, Tou, Sha, Kai, Jin_-"

They both stared at the student council president for a moment before the source of his chanting and hand motions registered.

"The Kuji-in?!" Rin shrieked, only Archer holding her arms back restraining her from giving into her desire to curse the bespectacled boy with a Gandr. "You're trying to _exorcize_ me?!"

"-_Retsu_, _Zai_, _Zen_!" Issei finished, sweat trailing down his forehead like he had really been throwing all he had into the purification mantra. Swaying where he stood, Issei looked at her with eyes that were clearly glazed even through his glasses. Sometime during the chanting he had pulled out a set of prayer beads, wrapping tightly around clenched hands. He remained in a crouched position for a long moment, clearly ready to move away or forward based on whether he had succeeded in banishing the 'evil'.

"S...still here...," He noted absently, bowing to Archer before walking past them both with that same dizzy stride. "Forgive me Emiya-sensei. I'll purify my spirit and try again later for your sake."

Archer watched him go, feeling bemused but wisely not showing it considering Rin was still fuming in his arms. He remembered clearly that Issei and Rin had never been the best of friends, but for the monk to go to outright delusion rather than imaging Rin in intimate relations with anyone was a rather extreme reaction. "The human mind certainly has some interesting coping methods for dealing with trauma." At the enraged growl that escaped her, he looked down and patted her head calmingly. "If it's any consolation, I don't think he seriously thought it would work on you-"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

* * *

Thankfully, dinner itself passed uneventfully. After changing into the spare set of clothes she kept at the Emiya home, Rin along with Sakura and Rider had absconded to the dining table to go over her replacement body research. Archer would have offered to help, but was all too aware any usefulness he had would be minimal at best.

Aimlessly, he wandered out to the engawa. Breathing the clean night air in deeply, his skin pricked suddenly in a way only magecraft could evoke. A wave of something almost nostalgic washed over him as his eyes settled upon the storehouse, a dim light glowing in the smudged windows. Some irresistible urge propelled him forward despite his better judgment, but his hand slid open the door with such natural ease it was as if he had never left.

Emiya Shirou sat cross-legged with his back to the door. If he was aware of Archer's presence, he didn't acknowledge it. Palms seemingly empty, the white-haired man could nonetheless detect prana growing denser, thickening and twisting into form like clay being shaped by a potter. The blade formed slowly, the pinnacle of a smith's skill in gleaming iron. Gram, or rather the physical shape of it. Just looking at the projection, Archer could tell the perfect appearance belied the lack of the history, experience, and divine mystery of a proper Tracing, little more than bits of prana that happened to look like a Noble Phantasm. A weapon without a soul.

"It's like being chained to the earth and reaching for the stars," Shirou spoke up without turning around, the sword dissipating in his hands. "I try to grasp it and I can't. Even if I had retained the knowledge, this body...isn't suited for Tracing."

Archer snorted, leaning against the door. His eyes flicked to the corner of the storeroom, where even now he could feel the faintest traces of mana that the now-invisible summoning circle held before he looked away. "Don't act as if your original body was well suited for anything to begin with."

Shirou finally tilted his head up at the older man, expression amused rather than incensed. "You still haven't let go of that self-loathing, huh?" He laughed a little at Archer's annoyed look, his posture relaxing. "Well, it's early. I'll keep training."

"Gold to a cat," Archer responded, somewhat gratified by the irritated twitch of Shirou's brow, "Training blind is barely going to bring any result than not training at all."

"If you have a suggestion, you're welcome to share it," Shirou groused. Underneath the attitude, he did look truly concerned about Archer's point. Lost in thought, the redhead looked down at his hands. At the pitiful sight, a disturbingly altruistic urge made itself known in Archer's mind. A few failed attempts to crush it later, he sighed in defeat and sat down.

"Archer?" Shirou blinked, confusion clearly written on his face.

"Not a word," Archer grunted, giving his younger self a scowl that practically qualified as an attack in itself. "Just follow my lead and maybe I can make you marginally less pathetic."

The redhead still looked surprised, but scooted closer to watch Archer carefully. A beat later, he returned the older man's scowl with a smile just as damaging. "If it's any comfort, at least this is of your own free will rather than being browbeaten into doing it by Tohsaka."

"Just shut up and watch, you failure."

In the house Rin lifted her head, sensing the flow and ebb of prana nearby. Noticing her sister's distraction, Sakura cast out her senses to arrive at the same conclusion.

"Senpai and Archer-san? What could they be doing?" Sakura set the notes she was going through down.

"Practicing, probably. The pulses are consistent enough for it," Rin told her, readjusting her glasses as she flipped through another arcane text, taking down a passage. "Let's just concentrate on our own work."

Sakura glanced down at the piles of paper and books scattered on the table ruefully. "I can't believe you managed to gather together this much, Nee-san."

"Don't praise me just yet. If it's not useful, there's really no point," Rin told her, closing her current tome only to switch it for a new one. "And so far, none of them have been."

Her sister bit her lip awkwardly as Rin continued, "Honestly, I'm at my wits end here. The Einzberns might have the resources to make a new body and transfer a consciousness into it, but I don't and considering how things turned out I have nothing to coerce them into doing so."

"...But does it have to be a homunculus body specifically?" Rider spoke up, face thoughtful.

"That's...a good idea, actually," Rin replied, mulling over the implications as she took a sip of her tea. "If one path doesn't work, find another. Might be expensive, though."

"It doesn't matter if I have to sell everything," Sakura said without hesitation. "If it's for senpai, I'll make it happen no matter what."

"And Archer," Rin pointed out dryly, watching her sister blush. She chuckled a bit before gathering some fresh sheets of paper with which to note-take. "Well, let's get on it. It's about time we've got a lucky break."

"Careful, Nee-san," Sakura giggled, smiling puckishly. "You'll jinx us."

"After the Holy Grail War?" Rin snorted derisively. "I doubt life could throw anything that could phase me after _that_."

* * *

A old blues number played over the speakers at Copenhagen Bar, accompanied only by the soft whisper of a glass being cleaned. It was a shame the place, usually full of people enjoying an after work beverage, was a veritable graveyard. Hotaruzuka 'Neko' Otoko didn't bother to wonder about it as she went about her task. Things had gotten a little better lately, but there was still plenty of wariness in being out after sunset. Understandable, but a small part of her couldn't help but be annoyed at the lack of answers. At this rate, one would practically think people would stock up on everything from guard dogs to garlic just to feel secure, no matter how false that comfort was.

The bell over the door tinkled once, signaling a customer's entrance. Neko set the shot glass down before turning with her usual feline smile and a friendly greeting. "Welcome! Please, take a seat, miss."

The woman who had walked in smiled back, shifting a large leather suitcase from one hand to the other. Red hair-unusually long, well past the knees-swished as she scanned the bar. Curiosity roused, Neko stepped out from behind the bar to speak to her.

"Miss, can I help you with something?"

The redhead stilled, cerulean eyes focusing on the bartender. "My bad, my bad. I'm actually supposed to be meeting someone here, but I guess she hasn't arrived yet-"

Neko stiffened for a second, pose ramrod straight and eyes blank. When, she spoke, it was in her own voice but leeched of emotion and inflection. "Please follow me if you would, Aozaki Aoko-san."

Other than raising a brow, Aoko didn't look affected by the sudden change. But then, she had gone into this bar with her guard well up. To meet with...well, the word enemy wasn't quite right, and competition a bit too mild. The closest one could really get was "the other side", but even that simplified a relationship both fragile and complicated. Which was the point of this meeting itself. Aoko couldn't imagine her counterpart was enjoying this any more than she was, but it was a necessary evil for them both.

After all, things were messed up enough in Fuyuki without dragging a thousand years of enmity between East and West into the mix. Not that Aoko really cared either way personally, but magi were the same everywhere. If Fuyuki and whatever had caused the enormous magical disturbance a month ago were worth it, they would fight for it even if that meant going to war with other Associations or the Church. Considering there were still places that were barren wastelands from the last time two rival Magi Associations battled two hundred years ago, avoiding conflict was naturally a top priority.

Neko stopped abruptly in front of a booth that was at just the right angle to be invisible from the door. Aoko had her mouth opened and was fully ready to call out her contact for using a hypnosis spell for no good reason. Then she actually saw who she was supposed to negotiate with and was nearly unable to hide her shock.

Well, well. This explained the need for the spell, at least. Setting her suitcase down with a thud, Aoko dropped into the booth and sized the occupants up. Classic Japanese features, slender and petite with her long black hair pulled into a ponytail tied with a thin white ribbon. Unremarkable clothes, blue jeans and a dark green v-neck shirt. Nothing too out of the ordinary on that front, but none of those things were the cause for her surprise. Aoko couldn't have imagined the Far East magi would send someone who couldn't even be out of high school to conduct such an delicate task.

"She tried to card you, didn't she?" Aoko asked, gesturing to where Neko stood like a statue. "You could have just said something if the meeting place was a problem, Saitou Aya."

The girl's gold eyes met Aoko's own blue ones, holding for a long, tense moment. After a second she snorted dismissively, her fingers beating out an irritated tempo against the table surface. "I wouldn't be much of a houjutsu-shi if I couldn't deal with such a simple problem. In any case, I've come to expect lack of consideration from you, Aozaki-san. This meeting would have happened at least a month ago if you hadn't kept putting it off," She paused, dropping four cubes of sugar in her steaming cup of tea before stirring it briskly. "Are things well in Misaki?"

The question hit neatly, as the girl must have known it would. Clenching her fist in unaccustomed anger, Aoko glared coldly at Aya. "Speaking of lack of consideration, I don't recall bringing other people to this meeting was agreed upon." Her gaze flicked to the man who was silently smoking even now, dark, intent eyes jarring with his relaxed expression. At that, he stubbed his cigarette out in an ashtray, giving Aoko a smile that did nothing to ease her whatsoever. Canine teeth pointed that much more than normal tended to do that. Still, something about him came across as vaguely familiar, and Aoko stared at him for a good moment trying to place where she had seen him before.

A surface glance revealed almost nothing. The black jeans and leather lace up boots weren't unusual, nor was the faded vintage t-shirt with the Metallica logo emblazoned on it. Looking at the man revealed a leanly fit build with dark shaggy-cut hair and chiseled features that marked him as Scandinavian in origin. Suspicion would not be the first reaction one would expect a woman to have to him, but Aoko was feeling it for good reason. He seemed completely unaffected by her obvious wariness, reaching into the pocket of his grey duster to pull out a lighter, flipping the thin piece of metal between calloused fingers. Even in the dim light of the bar, Aoko could see the faint gleam of a white jade pendant dangling from a leather strap around his neck. Squinting her eyes, she tried to pick out the characters carved into the stone in keeping with traditional Eastern aesthetics. _'Sho...Kachi..?'_

"As one Freelancer to another, you should know we aren't bound to the Magi Association, Blue Gunner," He spoke up in good if faintly accented Japanese. That deep, smooth voice jolted her memory, sliding the pieces into place. He grinned at the light of recognition in her eyes, slouching back casually in his seat. "I'm here because I wanted to be, not in any official capacity."

"One of the Pakkala family...the eldest son, Fenrir," Aoko confirmed, lifting a brow at him. "I haven't seen you since that job in Stockholm four years ago. You're certainly ended up a long way from Finland."

"I took a right at Seoul," Fenrir said with a straight face, ignoring his companion's annoyed look. "My residence in Japan aside, Hyougo and Nagano aren't exactly next door to each other, so I provided transportation."

"Last I checked, the railways were operating just fine," Aoko replied pointedly, not buying such an excuse. "Why do such a thing?"

He laughed like the answer was obvious, "Because it's so much cooler to take a motorcycle."

Aoko went silent, gaze flicking from Fenrir to Aya. "....Hey, Saitou. Is this guy really human?"

"I'm not even sure he's from this universe," Aya sipped her tea, voice set at a perfect deadpan. She waved off Fenrir's impending protest, lips tilting into a very slight smile. "But it keeps things interesting."

As his put-out look faded into something harder to read, Aya looked back at Aoko with a serious face. "Anyway Aozaki-san, I was not sent here by the Yu Dao Gong to make small talk, as I expect the Magi Association did not intend for you to do the same. We need to decide how to settle the matter of Fuyuki." Gracefully, she set a cup out for Aoko and poured her a measure of tea from the same pot she had gotten her own. Passing it to the older woman along with the cream and sugar, she continued, "And what to do with its Supervisor."

Fixing the brew to her personal preference, Aoko gently blew on it before drinking. "So we're down to a territorial dispute, more or less?"

"...Basically," Aya said, voice clearly revealing her disdain for the situation. "The Tohsaka family and their lands maybe be affliated with the Magi Association, but Japan as a whole is one of the territories under the Yu Dao Gong. Which can only result in both organizations wanting to reap what benefits there are, or wash their hands of it if it's not worth the trouble. With the amount of energy alone that was gathered at Ryuudouji, I can tell you now that's not going to happen." She paused for a second, collecting her thoughts carefully. "Do you have any idea what happened, Aozaki-san? The most I could get from our records was reference to some sort of summoning ritual that takes place in sixty year cycles."

Aoko hesitated, weighing the pros and cons of telling the girl what she knew. Choice made, she sighed before speaking, "A summoning ritual that utilized the excellent leyline on these lands that was formulated by the Tohsaka, Makiri, and Einzbern families. Something about allowing for extremely-high level spell casting without direct knowledge. Our own records don't have more than that, but on a personal level...," Her voice trailed off before she finished, "I could tell there was a huge activation of the Third Magic there."

There was something wry in Aya's expression as she nodded, and its presence nagged at Aoko in a way she couldn't explain. "That makes sense. Magi sense thaumaturgy, and Magicians sense Magic. However, that doesn't account for the sheer amount of prana gathered."

Aoko downed her cup of tea before pouring herself a second helping. All three were silently thinking, only the music playing breaking the quiet. Finally Aoko leaned back, looking at the girl straight on. "So we pretty much have a whole bunch of questions, and half an answer at best."

Fenrir snorted out a laugh, returning his lighter to his pocket. "Succinctly put, Miss Blue. Don't you know diplomats aren't supposed to be so straightforward?"

"Good thing it isn't my long-term job, then," Aoko retorted with a tiny grin, setting her cup on the table. "You know what this means, Saitou."

"Investigation. We'll each get the facts, and decide who has the greater right to Fuyuki," Aya supplied, resting her cheek against her palm. "Tohsaka Rin-san...certainly has a lot to answer for. She's not in an enviable place."

"That may be, but there's no escaping it now," Aoko said, though her face was sympathetic. "Something this big can't be ignored. It's only her misfortune that everyone's looking to her for answers."

"Tohsaka is a magus," Fenrir added, sliding his lighter back into his pocket. "She'll remember that your gains and your losses are equal in thaumaturgy."

Aya looked out the window, the moon a faint yellow crescent in the sky. "She's certainly paying the price now. For all the troubles that it's causing her, I hope it was worth it for Tohsaka-san."

**[END]**

* * *

The setting, instantly recognizable as the Emiya Dojo...or rather, its fourth-wall breaking counterpart, the Tiger Dojo. Mysteriously, neither Taiga nor Ilya were anywhere to be seen. Instead, standing tall in front of the two banners that read "Archer" and "Rin", a newly introduced character awaited wearing the familiar blue hakama and white gi...over a Ramones t-shirt. Shinai slung over his shoulder-

"Okay, that's enough exposition," Fenrir Pakkala interrupted the narration. "I mean, it's pretty clear you're doing it this way so people aren't bored senseless by all the in-story crap you have to explain," He looked left and right, smelling the air. "I can tell Aya's around here, but I'm not sure why she hasn't come out yet-"

Forcefully removed from her hiding spot by the godly power of the author's will, Saitou Aya appeared, face utterly set with cold, killing rage. This anger was easily explained by the fact that Taiga's outfit being taken meant only Ilya's was left to wear, which resulted in an angry houjutsu-shi clad in purple bloomers and a white athletic shirt with a matching purple collar.

Silence reigned as Fenrir carefully picked his way through a response. "Um...you look cu-"

"Not. A. Word," Aya gritted out, glaring at the world in general. "Why do I have to wear something so embarrassing?!"

"Just consider what the alternative would be," Fenrir said, a brief pause taking place as they both imagined their outfits switched before shuddering. "Thought so."

"We could have just worn our regular clothes," Aya protested, expression still slightly disturbed, "Or had Fujimura-san and Einzbern-san do the Dojo like normal."

"Ah, but then it wouldn't be clear as a parody," Fenrir pointed out, giving the shinai a testing swing. "Which also brings us to the reason those two aren't here. They were chronicling Emiya Shirou's journey through the Grail War and his growth as a man, but this is Archer's story now. Thus, a new Dojo is needed." He lowered the shinai, grinning at her. "Niellä Dojo?"

"That's completely unsubtle, Fenrir," Aya replied flatly, arms crossed. "Like that procrastinating fool renaming the whole series to "Across The Universe" as a symbol of improvement as a writer isn't bad enough."

"Yes. Yes it is," He grinned at her like she wasn't faintly scowling at all. "Anyway, the faster you get this over with means the sooner you can change."

"Fine," Aya sighed, conceding the point to him. "To put this long, long, long...delayed chapter into perspective, Archer-san has actually made a bit of progress in his relationship with Tohsaka-san. At least as far as getting her to admit he's important to her is concerned. It's not much, but Tohsaka-san can be very emotionally oblivious so it counts."

"...Yeah, I totally don't know what it's like to deal with that at all," Fenrir grumbled under his breath before straightening up and giving the shinai another swing. "However, it's not going to be smooth sailing from this point! For one thing, Issei knows, although he lacks the power to remove Rin's evil spirit from this world-"

"He should have tried Sankiraimon, that's stronger than the Kuji-in," Aya added, intellectually piqued. "The Kuji-in is a series of nine hand forms and words for basic purification, but the Sankiraimon is specifically designed for exorcisms."

"-What she said," Fenrir continued smoothly, "But Rin also faces trouble coming from two directions, the Magi Association of the West, and the Far East organization too. Sharp readers probably figured out that was us two on the motorcycle earlier."

"Yes, they both have a stake in finding out what happened," Aya nodded. "It was stated pretty clearly, but basically the Yu Dao Gong or 'Imperial Way Palace', which is the equivalent in the Far East to the Magi Association, has a right to be there. The reason no one from the Middle East Magi Association has shown up is mainly because they have no legitimate claim."

"Aozaki-san has been in the West too long if she can't be more than technically correct when reading characters," Aya said pointedly, face neutral. "And I'm a member of the Yu Dao Gong. Using Western terms like magi would make about as much sense as the Pope conducting Mass in Chinese. On that subject, a houjutsu-shi is someone who specializes in Buddhist or Shinto thaumaturgy. Although in Japan you find the two mixing a lot."

"Speaking of Japan, Hyougo and Nagano are two of it's provinces. Since Fuyuki is roughly around the Kobe area, that places it in the former, while Togakushi where we came from is in the latter," Fenrir swung the shinai down in a men strike. "Bit of a drive, but for various reasons a motorcycle was preferable to public transport."

"There shouldn't be much more beyond that. Various terms for Japanese style archery were used, but those should have been clear enough in context. The glove Rin gave Archer is a mitsugake, or three fingered archery glove, and is the same one you see him wear in Hollow Ataraxia." Aya finished. "We aren't going to be dealing with that event for awhile yet. One crisis at a time is enough."

"It's a troubling situation, but Rin could have done something about earlier if she hadn't been distracted with pretending she didn't want to nail Archer six ways from Thursday," Fenrir said, jolting as Nendoid Rin popped up suddenly in all her tiny glory.

"**It's true, fan-made characters can only speak trash,** " The miniature version of Rin postulated, taking a quick drag of her cigarette before disappearing as abruptly as she appeared.

"..." Went Fenrir.

"..." Went Aya.

"I vote we forgot that happened," the Finn ventured.

"Agreed," Aya said quickly before bowing. "Until next time, Niellä Dojo!"

The doors slid shut with a snapping noise, sealed...for now.

**[TRUE END]**


End file.
